Control Chaos: Redefining the Visual Cultures of Asia

PHUNK is a contemporary art and design collective based in Singapore. Founded in 1994 by Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan and William Chan when they were students at Lasalle College of the Arts, they developed a novel approach to collective art-making based on the collaborative aesthetic of a rock-and-roll band and informed by a shared interest in urban subcultures. They have exhibited widely and collaborated with artists, designers and international brands, producing work across a broad range of mediums.

Inspired by ‘Control Chaos’, a key work that sparked PHUNK’s creative journey, this monograph is organized around three themes: ‘Collective Consciousness’, which explores PHUNK’s early development; ‘Criti-Cool’, which looks at the challenges of practising art in Singapore; and ‘Connecting Worlds’, which examines works that reflect our increasingly globalized world. With accompanying texts based upon exclusive interviews with the collective, this inspirational overview is richly illustrated with original artwork and will be essential reading for anyone interested in Singapore’s art and design scene over the past twenty-five years.

With 367 illustrations, 298 in colour