'I almost couldn't believe it': Exchange student leaves his mark on NTU's legal graffiti wall
A Norwegian exchange student at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore discovered a legal graffiti wall on campus. Despite Singapore's strict anti-vandalism laws, the university maintains this space to allow art students to practice their craft safely.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of strict public order policies and the need for creative expression in academic environments.
When Norwegian exchange student Marcus Olnes first arrived at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), he wasn't expecting to find something that reminded him of home: a place where graffiti artists could legally pick up a spray can and create.
Olnes, 21, is studying Business and Computing at NTU for a semester.
After arriving on Aug 3, the budding graffiti artist decided that he wanted to find somewhere he could legally spray paint in Singapore.
As he was exploring NTU's campus after class one day, he spotted a wall covered in spray paint.
Upon closer inspection, he found a sign that read: "Spray Paint Area".
@asiaone Marcus Ølnes, 21, who is on an exchange semester at NTU, also does commissions back home, making custom graffiti pieces, logo designs and conducting workshops. #sgnews #Singapore #Graffiti #Art ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
Olnes told AsiaOne that he could not believe what he saw.
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