MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Perspective is everything when deciphering the beauty of three-dimensional (3D) floor art. Likewise, 3D floor artist LTA (NS) Benjamin Qwek's ability to think and do things differently has led him down a unique career path.

If not for a chance encounter, 3D floor artist Lieutenant (LTA) (NS) Benjamin Qwek's hidden talent for 3D art might never have been discovered. The 32-year-old freelancer was an illustrator until one and a half years ago when he received an unusual request.

"One of my clients, BAPE Singapore (the local franchise for the Japanese clothing line A Bathing Ape) proposed a 3D floor art piece. It was in collaboration with the Transformers movie," he recalled.

Although 3D floor art has been gaining popularity in the United States and Europe over the last three decades, it was fairly unknown in Singapore back in 2012.

"I took the challenge, and it started from there. I did my own research and, after some trial and error, I finally managed to get it right."

It was a bold move that not only changed his career, but also launched a new local street art movement. Today, LTA (NS) Qwek is regarded as one of the pioneers of 3D floor art in Singapore.

Going against the grain

Boldness and fearlessness shaped LTA (NS) Qwek's career. Not only was he able to see things differently, he was also not afraid to do things differently - a quality that he displayed from a young age.

"My old textbooks were all filled with drawings," he admitted with a sheepish laugh. "I wasn't a very good student in school lah. I was drawing more than I was doing Maths. My mum was worried at first, but she later decided that if it (drawing) was something I wanted to pursue, then I should just go ahead and chase my dreams."

With the blessings of his equally-brave mother, he obtained his diploma in Digital Media Design at Nanyang Polytechnic, specialising in animation.

"(However,) school can only teach you so much. After school is when the real lesson begins," he said, turning serious. "I went to the library and read a lot of different books. Not just on animation, but also graphic design and even the fine arts and different art movements."

All in the mind

The ability to think differently and see things in a different light was what helped LTA (NS) Qwek through his National Service (NS). He revealed that NS was a difficult time as he was experiencing many changes in his life, including the death of his father.

"After Basic Military Training (BMT), I wanted to be something less taxing than an officer. But I remember my Sergeant-Major telling me that in order to make my Dad proud, I should go to Officer Cadet School (OCS)."

And to OCS he went. LTA (NS) Qwek eventually became a Ground- Based Air Defence Weapons System Officer in the 18th Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion. He was also proud to rid himself of the "Zero Fighter" label - a nickname for someone who cannot do chin-ups.

"I totally failed my NAPFA (National Physical Fitness Award) during Polytechnic. Then the BMT instructors really pushed me hard and after two or three months, I finally did six chin-ups!" he exclaimed jubilantly. "I thought six was quite good, but in OCS, they want you to do even more. At the end of my training, I actually managed to do 20!" he laughed, as if still in disbelief.

"I think what the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) instils in you is discipline," he reflected thoughtfully. "I brought that into my professional life as well. As a business owner, you have to go out to source for business. If I didn't have the discipline to do that - to push myself - it would have been bad for my career."

For love and art

To date, LTA (NS) Qwek has built up an impressive portfolio, creating 3D floor art pieces for major events such as Singapore Day (SG Day) in Sydney last year. He also made a mixed-media piece for 7-Eleven that incorporated sculptures. The first of its kind in Singapore, it is one of his proudest creations.

However, drawing remains his first love. With a sketchbook always in hand, his favourite subject matter is the female form. "To me, the female form is the definition of beauty," he said.

So, would his other great love - his fiancee - feature in any of his drawings soon? "Not in the commissioned pieces. (But) in my personal artworks, yes, I think you ll get to see my fiancee!" he laughed bashfully.

Check out more of his works at www.benqwek.com.

What is 3D floor art?

In 3D floor art, the dimensions of the drawings are skewed such that when viewed from a particular position, the image appears three-dimensional. Sometimes, the image must be seen via a camera lens for the 3D effect to be apparent.

While artists overseas typically draw in chalk on roads and sidewalks, in Singapore the designs are printed out on vinyl sheets before being pasted on the ground.