Aeropalmics, whose real name is Dawn Ang, has worked with big-name brands like Nike and Shake Shack. She is also the creative behind Tatler Gen.T’s first twin NFT collections, Phoenixes of Tomorrow and Friends of Phoenixes
With a personality as bright as her style, Dawn Ang is hard to miss. But it’s her art, which is just as vibrant, and her knack for making people smile that makes her stand out.
Known professionally as Aeropalmics, she has created art across various mediums—from large-than-life murals to a custom-designed art piece for a Louis Vuitton store in Singapore, the artist is colouring her way to success. In 2023, she collaborated with Tatler Gen.T to design our first NFT collection for new Gen.T honourees, Phoenixes of Tomorrow, and its twin collection, Friends of Phoenixes, which is available for sale on OpenSea to raise funds for charity.
Read more: If a phoenix and an NFT had a baby, this would be it
We chat with Ang to find out more about her artistic journey and inspirations, as well as the thought process behind her designs for the NFTs.
What made you want to be an artist?
Dawn Ang (DA): I discovered a love for drawing, painting and crafts when I was very little. My parents were, and still are, very encouraging and supportive of learning. They gave me room to explore my creativity as long as I finished my homework.
I’m enamoured with the idea of creating—how a blank sheet of paper, wood or a slab of clay can become something else altogether with a few choice lines and some shaping. That, to me, is magic.
How has growing up in Singapore shaped you and the opportunities you get as an artist?
DA: Singapore is a ball of strange contradictions.
It’s both a city and a country, so small that it takes only an hour and a half to drive from one end to the other. But it is populated by almost six million people. It’s one of the 10 richest countries in the world, but a portion of its residents is struggling to keep up.
We grew up recognising Malay as the national language, but everyone speaks English. We also speak Singlish, an English-based creole developed through the years with unique slang, grammar and syntax, borrowing from many different languages. We live in constant flux; there is an amazing amalgamation of cultures and food. We’re spoilt for choice!
Living here, for the most part, is incredibly safe and it is summer all year round. People are warm, kind and helpful. It’s an insane privilege to have grown up here.
I’m grateful every day for being able to express my craft and earn a living from it. I am afforded trust and opportunities by the kindest people—people with varied experiences and worldviews who have allowed me to learn and grow as a creative. Every experience, good and bad, has expanded my worldview. When I started, I took on a lot of other jobs to sustain the creative work. I feel like a lot of it was—and continues to be—a mix of luck and hard work. The process has been fun but arduous, and through it all, I’m learning so much about people and that is endlessly rewarding.
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