Joyce Beetuan Koh
28 August 2025–31 August 2027
Tanjong Pagar Distripark
Block 39, Cargo Lift No. 7
Public outdoor work. Accessible at all times.

Artist’s impression courtesy of Joyce Beetuan Koh
OASIS transforms a working cargo lift at Tanjong Pagar Distripark into a momentary sanctuary, a sonic pause in the midst of passage. The installation invites visitors to dwell and experience moments of calm within a liminal space that has been designed for movement, prompting a reflection on the in-between moments of daily life.
Lifts are often silent, shared only in passing, and rarely considered spaces for sensory attunement. OASIS embraces the distinct character of this lift: its mechanical hums, metallic creaks, upward-opening doors and unhurried pace. Through subtle interventions of sound and light, the installation amplifies what is already present, revealing the quiet textures embedded in transition.
Its layered soundscape, composed of resonant tones and field recordings drawn from natural surroundings, creates a liminal atmosphere that is at once immersive and meditative. Visually, the deep celestial blue of lapis lazuli, long associated with spirituality and transcendence, envelops the space, encouraging a contemplative mood.
The work evolves throughout the day, with distinct sound compositions and lighting conditions calibrated for morning, afternoon, and evening, mirroring the shifting rhythms of a typical workday. These transitions draw visitors into a heightened state of awareness, attuning them to details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Venue Partner
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About the Artist
Photo by Leti Apostova
Joyce Beetuan Koh is a composer who creates concert music, sound installations, multimedia productions and works for dance and film. Her interdisciplinary practice explores the spatial and sculptural dimensions of sound, often blending acoustic and digital forms in immersive environments.
Among her notable large-scale works are Kohnomos (2022), a sound installation and musical instrument shaped like a sailing mast that invites performer-musicians to navigate a sonic sea of dark matter, and A Micropolyphonic Stage (2023), a pair of sculptural benches along the “Benchmarks” art trail by the Singapore River that cradle the sitter in a space for mindful contemplation.
In 2023, Koh was awarded the prestigious Institut français x Cité internationale des arts Paris residency by the French Ministry of Culture. She currently serves as Associate Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Research Division at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Singapore.