Mohammed Zulkarnaen Othman@ZERO
RSCLS STUDIO
28 Aliwal Street
Aliwal Arts Centre
#02-07
S199918
Zero@rscls.org
Zerostarrfighter@gmail.com
www.zerostarrfighter.blogspot.com
A recipient of the NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL Young Artist Award for the year 2013, Mohammed Zulkarnaen Othman, commonly known by his artist moniker ZERO has been a practising artist since late 2003. His is an unconventional practice, opting to delve into the subculture norms of street art and graffiti. His notions of a street artist being a pseudo documentarist of contemporary urban life is reflected in his growth as an artist throughout the years. His artistic research and works revolve around contemporary issues on urban social life and space, current affairs and adverse effects of pop culture. A reactionary artist, Zul's body of works attempts to negotiate the oddity of street and graffiti art in a regulated space while creating social commentaries on the notion of society and space.
Zul is also one of the founding artists for the collective ARTVSTS, a group of artists seen as the pioneers of street art and graphic-influenced graffiti in Singapore. The ARTVSTS collective paved the way for the growth of street art in Singapore in the early to mid 2000s. Zul has since founded the RSCLS collective since the hiatus of his former collective- the RSCLS collective seeks to create a vibrant and sustainable practice in the urban arts and places importance in the evolution of urban arts and its integral purpose to urban landscape and society. The nurturing of of younger artists in the collective is also important to the growth of the urban arts culture in Singapore. RSCLS constantly engages the community in their projects through talks and workshops. Zul has also recently initiated THE SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT, an ongoing initiative to archive, research and document urban arts in all 21 countries in East and South East Asia, creating a network between all practitioners of street and graffiti art throughout the region through urban cultural exchanges and symposiums.
Zul is the only urban artist to have been part of The Substation's Associate Artists program and was a nominee for the President's Young Talent in 2005. He has shown his works in numerous exhibitions and events both locally and internationally
and has also had his body of works from his solo exhibition The Spectacular Spectacular acquired by the Singapore Arts Museum as part of its permanent collection in 2011.
He lectures part time at the Lasalle College of the Arts and is a graduate from NAFA with a Diploma in Visual Communications in 2000 and subsequently, Lasalle College of the Arts with a Diploma in Fine Arts(Painting) in 2007 and a BA (HONS) in Fine Arts (Painting) in 2008.
Education
2007 - 2008
Bachelor of Arts with Honours
Lasalle College of the Arts
2006 - 2007
Diploma in Fine Arts
Lasalle College of the Arts
1997 - 2000
Diploma in Visual Communications
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
1992 - 1996
"O" Levels
Xinimin Secondary School
Selected Exhibitions and Events
July 2014
Artist Talk
Nanyang Girls High School
Canvas Singapore
July 2014
INAUGURAL EXHIBITION
Commissioned Artist
Grand Opening of CANVAS SINGAPORE
Canvas Singapore
July 2014
FACEBOOK
Commissioned Artist
Facebook Asia HQ
July 2014
THE SOLIDARITY Movement: REBEL DAUGHTERS
ALL ASIAN FEMALE URBAN ART PRESENTATION
Artist Talk, Pop Up Exhibition, Mural Production
The Esplanade, 222, Queen Street, Singapore
Founder, Organising Committee
June 2014
BANG BANG! WONDERLAND
Coming Home Exhibition
Public Installation
PAssionArts
Kovan Hub
June 2014
CONVERSE CLASHWALL
SOUTH EAST ASIA CONVERSE Mural Installation
Manila - Jakarta - Bangkok - Singapore - Kuala Lumpur
Commissioned Artist
Singapore
April - June 2014
Specialised Art Wrokshop
Special Needs students
Grace Orchard School
Singapore
March 2014
MEETING OF STYLES: SINGAPORE
Global Graffiti Jam
Participating Artist, Co- Organiser
March 2014
PASARBELLA: I lights Market
Commissioned Artist
Marina Bay Sands
January 2014
ALIWAL URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL
Participating Artist
Aliwal Street
January 2014
THE SOLIDARITY Movement: Indonesia X Singapore
AN URBAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Artist Talk, Pop Up Exhibition, Mural Production
Garduhouse, Jakarta, Indonesia
Founder, Curator
December 2013
THE SOLIDARITY Movement: Singapore x Indonesia
AN URBAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Artist Talk, Pop Up Exhibition, Mural Production
The Substation, Singapore
Founder, Curator
November 2013
Toying Around Exhibition
Group Exhibition
MI Casa Su Casa Gallery
October 2013
Commissioned Artist
RSCLS
Singapore Writers Festival 2013
Artist and project manager
August 2013
Art Outreach Marina Bay Sands
Community Art Auction
Participating Artist
Marina Bay Sands
July 2013
SOLIDARITY 21: Philipines X Singapore
AN URBAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Artist Talk, Pop Up Exhibition, Mural Production, Bosny Graffiti Tour
Various locations, MANILA, Philippines
Founder, Curator
June 2013
SOLIDARITY 21: Singapore x Philippines
AN URBAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Artist Talk, Pop Up Exhibition, Mural Production
222 Queen street
Founder, Curator
May 2013
Anthology of the Abysmal
Solo Exhibition
Chan Hampe Gallery
Singapore
April 2013
JUST WRITING MY NAME
MONTANA's Global Graffiti Sessions
Invited Artist
Yogyakarta
Indonesia
March 2013
LION CITY CLANS: THE 36 CHAMBERS
Artspace@ HELUTRANS
Curator and participating artists under RSCLS
Singapore
March 2013
THE ROJAK RENDEZVOUS
Celebrating Cultural Diversity Through Urban Art
French and Singapore Urban Art Exchange
Participating Artist and Speaker
Organised by RSCLS for the NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
Singapore
February 2013
2ND RENDEZVOUS
South East Asian Urban Art Event
Exhibiting Artist and Speaker
Yangon, Myanmar
January 2013
Singapore River One Mural Project
Commissioned Artist with RSCLS
Public Mural at Singapore River
Singapore
July 2012
Singapore's Finest
Group Exhibition
Dominic Khoo's Le Fevrier Gallery
March 2012
PANORAMA
Recent Art From Contemporary Asia
SINGAPORE ARTS MUSEUM
March 2012
SALON 1112
The Little Things
Lasalle PT Lecturer Group Show
Earl Lu Gallery ICA
LASALLE College of the Arts
December 2011
Commissioned Artist
RSCLS (ANTZ, CLOGTWO &ZERO)
REBEL CAFE Concept Mural
Rebel Cafe, Clarke Quay
October 2011
ART EXPO MALAYSIA 2011
Exhibition and Artfair
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
October 2011
STORYTELLERS
Exhibition by OneTwoDelta and ZERO
DAHLIA GALLERY
August 2011
RCGNTN Presents WHAT IS OUR CULTURE?
Group Exhibition
Riverwalk Mall
August 2011
SHAPESHIFTERS
Group Exhibition
GROOVE @ Zirca
August 2011
ESPLANADE YFEST Presents HOMEFRONTS
Group Exhibition
ANTZ, ASNO, CLOGTWO, TRASEONE & ZERO
Esplanade Courtyard
June 2011 - August 2011
DystoUTOPIA
Solo installation
No 8
Singapore Art Museum 8Q
June 2011
ADIDAS ALL 24 EVENT
Graffiti Mural Showpiece
Featured Artist and Judge
RSCLS (ZERO & ANTZ & CLOGTWO)
SCAPE
March 2011
FACEOFF Street Art Battle
Artists Mural Battle
Raw Art
Old School@ Mt Sophia
November 2010
Commissioned Artist
RSCLS (ZERO & ANTZ & CLOGTWO)
REBEL CLUB Artwork
The Cannery
October 2010
Associate Artist Solo Exhibition
The Spectacular Spectacular
The Substation Gallery
August 2010
Commissioned artist
SUPAH POKE
Collaborative Exhibition with DMR, TraseOne
The Esplanade Tunnel
July 2010
Exhibiting Artist
CARBONATED VER 02
Orchard Central Shopping Centre
June 2010
Exhibiting Artist
ART TRIANGLE EXHIBITION
Balai Seni Lukis
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
March 2010
Is This Home Truly?
A Homecoming Showcase of "Graffiti" Art in Singapore
Artspace@ HELUTRANS
Participating Artist and Co-Curator
November 2009
ZERO/ KILAS
Commisioned Artist
Live Mural Artwork
President's Young Talent Showcase
8Q @ SAM
September 2009
Commisioned Artist
Live mural painitng
F1 ROCKS CONCERT
Redbull Container Arena
Fort Canning
August 2009
Commisioned Painting Installation
Adiartist x Adidas Originals
Iluma
March 2009
Artist Showcase/ Live Painting
World Wide Festival Sessions
Singapore Arts Museum
March 2009
Artist Showcase
Tiger Translate Museum
The Atrium, Plaza Singapura
November 2008
Artistic Expression of the World Today Exhibition
The Economist
Exhibiting Artist
Singapore
October 2008
EDB "E" Icon Campaign
Creative Direction, consultation for guerilla marketing campaign
Commissioned Artist
Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore
September 2008
Commissioned Mural
Collaboration with Antz
Tiger Translate Art Tunnel
Boat Quay - Riverwalk Underpass
September 2008
Adiartist Campaign
Adidas Artist Showcase
Commissioned Artist
Adidas Original Boutiique, Pacific Plaza
August 2008
Live Art Performance
Supperclub
Supperclub, Singapore
August 2008
Tapau: The Visual Arts Exhibition
Group Exhibition
They Art Gallery, Annexe, Pasar Seni
Kuala Lumpur
June 2008
LASALLE College of the Arts
Degree Show 2008
LASALLE College of the Arts
September 2007
Real Presence, Istanbul
Floating Sites for Istanbul Bienalle
Meeting of young artists and curators.
Under Lasalle College of the Arts and Dr Winston Oh
Travelogue Award
August - October 2007
Ephemural Space
Solo Mural Installation
Inaugural Artist
Wheelock Art Gallery
May 2007
Participating Artist
Walking with Artist Tour
SUBSTATION/ Singapore Arts Festival
April 2007
Invited Artist
DJARUM BLACK Urban Art
Urban art event- Jakarta
October- November 2006
Writings on the Wall
Resident Artist - Public Mural Wall
Singapore Arts Museum
September 2006
Displacementary
An Exhibition by ARTVSTS
First ARTVSTS collective show
City Gallery, Basheer Bookstore
September 2006
Critical Thinking in Street Art
Workshop and Talk
Singapore Arts Museum Public Programme
June 2006
ROAR IS THE NEW PURR
Public Art Mural @ Esplanade
Charity Project where sale of artworks
Charity Auction Artwork for ST Pocket Money Fund
May 2006
Off the Wall Party
Singapore Arts Museum
Façade Mural
Artist/ Project coordinator
May 2006
Exhibiting Artist
Fiction@lLove Exhibition
Singapore Leg
Singapore Arts Museum
May 2006
Noise Singapore Festival Media Launch
NAC
Project Coordinator/ Artistic Direction
Artwork in Homeclub
March 2006
Trexi Invades New York Exhibition
Participating Artist
Toy Cube, New York City
Jan 2006
Forplay: Fine Arts dates Street Art
Collaborative Exhibition with Khairuddin Hori, The Killer Gerbil and Lil Pink Devil
Warung M Nasir
Singapore
Jan 2006
Exhibiting Artist
Fiction@lLove Exhibition
Museum Of Contemporary Art Shanghai
Nov 2005
StreetTease Design Festival 2005
Graffiti@Bugis Village
Live motion mural painting:- Zero, LilPinkDevil, The Killer Gerbil, TraseOne collaboration
with ReelLoco
Sept 2005
Noise Festival Singapore
Graffiti Art Workshop Mentor
National Arts Council
Sept 2005(Collective)
TXTRAPOLIS Exhibition
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
April - June 2005
Noise Festival Singapore
Graffiti Art Workshop Trainer/ Judging panel for Noise Festival Graffiti Artwork Design
National Arts Council
May - June 2005(Collective)
Street Festival 2005 Live Street Mural Paintings with TraseOne(SG), Araldyte(UK,) Yok(AUS)
Singapore
Apr 2005(Collective)
Collective featured on Channel U docu-drama HeARTS and Soul.
Oct-Nov 2004(Collective)
Singapore Art Museum: SENI Contemporary Arts Exhibition
Invited Intervention Artist
ARTVSTS Collective
Singapore
Awards/ Grants
October 2013
YOUNG ARTIST AWARD 2013 RECIPIENT
National Arts Council / MCCY
March 2013
SEED GRANT RECIPIENT
RSCLS Collective
March 2012
BEST OF SHOW AWARD ARTIST CATEGORY
CYBERTRON Convention
Optimus Prime Artist Custom
September 2007
Dr Winston Oh Travelogue Award Recipient
Invited Artist for Real Presence
a floating event as part of the Istanbul Biennale.
Istanbul, Turkey.
August 2007
NAC ARTS BURSARY AWARDS(Local) Recipient
June 2007
Lasalle Scholarship
LASALLE College of the Arts
April 2007
Zouk FRESH 2007 Graffiti Competition
1st Place Prize Winner
August 2006
NAC ARTS BURSARY AWARDS(Local) Recipient
May 2006
NAC International Travelling Grant
Features
March 2014
Feature Documentary
ART OF CONVERSATION
Hosted by NMP Janice Koh
Aired on 2nd March 2014
Channel News Asia
January 2014
THE SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
Media Coverage
Event and Artist Feature
Provoke Online Magazine, Indonesia
September - October 2013
Various Interviews and Features
Various media
Singapore Young Artist Award 2013
September 2013
BOMB IT 2: Global Graffiti Documentary
Artist feature and interview
Directed by Jon Reiss
Distributed by Hybrid Cinema
May 2013
Interview on The Straits Times
LURE OF THE SCRAWL
Feature on street art and graffiti in Singapore
March 2013
Interview on The New Paper
LION CITY CLANS: THE 36 CHAMBERS
Artspace@ HELUTRANS
Curator
Feb 2013
Feature on Yangon Mainstream Media
2ND RENDEZVOUS
South East Asian Urban Art Event
Yangon, Myanmar
July 2012
Feature in ChannelNewsAsia
PANORAMA
Recent Art From Contemporary Asia
SINGAPORE ARTS MUSEUM
July 2012
Feature in SAMTV
PANORAMA
Recent Art From Contemporary Asia
SINGAPORE ARTS MUSEUM
December 2011
Feature in KNOCKOUT!
OKTO
Mediacorp Broadcasting
November 2011
Feature Artist Interview
Catalog Magazine Online
September 2010
Feature Interview
WOW Magazine
22 August 2010
BIG PICTURE/ Snapshot
Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund Feature
The NEW PAPER
8 July 2010
Urban Scrawl
Interview for article on graffiti art
The Straits Times/ LIFE
12 March 2010
The art of Vandalism
Interview for article on Is This Home Truly? Exhibition
The Business Times
February 2010
Off the street and into the gallery
Interview for article on graffiti art
The Straits Time/ LIFE
February 2010
Creative Commons: Rise of the Collectives
Interview for article on art collectives
The Straits Time/ LIFE
July 2009
Cover Artwork
Campus Magazine
May 2009
Rebels with a Cause
Featured interview and article on IS Magazine
Article on contemporary street art culture
November 2008
Think Globally, Act Artistically
Featured interview and article on The Straits Time
Article on The Economist exhibition
September 2008
Featured for Lasalle Outstanding Malay Student
Featured interview and article on Berita Harian
September 2007
Ephemural Space
Featured interview and article on Berita Harian
August 2007
Interview on Primetime Morning Channel News Asia
Wheelock Gallery and Ephemural Space Feature
June 2007
ART OR NOT? Spray Paint Art
Front Page Cover LIFE! Section
Featured for full page article on Graffiti Art
June 2007
Artist Profile
Two Page Center Spread Feature for Today Paper
May 2007
Wheelock Gallery Press Release
Exhibition and Artist Feature
Business Times
April 2007
Underspray Online Magazine
Artist Interview
www.underspray.com
February 2007
Playtimes Magazine Issue 21
ARTVSTS feature for Displacementary Exhibition
December 2006
DISPLACEMENTARY
Exhibition Feature Article
CUBES Magazine Issue 25
OCTOBER 2006
ARTVSTS/ DISPLACEMENTARY
Exhibition and Artist Feature
LIFE! The Straits Time
October 2006
Artwork featured on ISH mag for MAAD Sunday
October 2006
Interview on Suria Segar Morning Show
ARTVSTS
October 2006
Artwork feature for Reddot Museum Article
ISH Magazine
September 2006
Rubbish to Art
Exhibition and Artist Feature
The Straits Time
August 2006
Artist Feature
Teenage Magazine
May 2006
Fiction@lLove Exhibition
Exhibition and Artist Feature
Mediacorp News and Arts Central
May 2006
Fiction@lLove Exhibition
Artwork feature
IS Magazine
May 2006
Fiction@lLove Exhibition
Exhibition and Artist Feature
Lianhe Zhaobao
May 2006
Artist Feature
Indigo Lifestyle Magazine
Feb 2006
Forplay: Fine Art dates Street
Exhibition and Artist Feature
Berita Harian
Feb 2006
Forplay: Fine Art dates Street
Featured on Channels News Asia
Jan 2006
Featured on The Straits Time
Artist interview and feature
Total Defence “Hang Tough” Project
Jan 2006
Playtimes Magazine Issue 11
6 page feature with ARTVSTS
October 2005
TXTRAPOLIS Exhibition,NAFA Gallery
Exhibition and Artist Feature
XFUNS Magazine, Taiwan
Oct 2005
Featured on Channel U News- Noise Festival
Apr 2005
Collective interview and feature
Channel U docu-drama HeARTS and Soul
March 2005
Featured on FHM magazine Singapore- Article on street arts
Community Involvement
February 2014
Presentation on Street Art and Graffiti in South East Asia
Glass Hall
Singapore Art Museum
October 2013
Graffiti Mural Workshop
Corporation Primary School
October 2013
Artist Assembly Talk
Corporation Primary School
October 2013
MOE Arts Education Symposium
Organised by Huamin Primary
Invited artist/ presenter/ panelist
Asian Civilisation Museum
October - December 2012
NAC/ Y Fest workshops and mentorships for participants from
Singapore Boys Hostel
August 2010
BATHING APE X ST POCKET FUND
Charity Art
The BATHING APE Store
Mandarin Gallery
January 2009
Stencil Design & Graffiti Workshop
Korean Exchange Students on MOE Student Exchange Programme
The Substation
2009 - Current
Workshops/ mentorship for young artists
under RSCLS collective
March - May 2009
Street art Workshop
Artist in Residence
Assumption Pathway School
March 2009
Graffiti and Stencil Design workshop
Community Involvement Programme
Northbrooks Secondary School
March 2008
Artist Talk on Urban Art
Assembly Session
Northbrooks Secondary School
March 2008
Graffiti and Stencil Design workshop
North Cluster MOE Teachers
May 2007
Participating Artist
Walking with Artist Tour
SUBSTATION/ Singapore Arts Festival
September 2006
Critical Thinking in Street Art
Workshop and Talk
Singapore Arts Museum Public Programme
September 2006
TRYBE Youth Movement
Community Mural
ZERO and TRASEONE
June 2006
Graffiti Art Workshop and Talk
Dunman Secondary School
Charity Project for Students CIP(Community Involvement Points)
June 2006
ROAR IS THE NEW PURR
Public Art Mural @ Esplanade
Charity Project where sale of artworks
Would be donated to ST Pocket Money Fund
June 2006
Graffiti Art Workshop and Talk
Dunman Secondary School
Charity Project for Students CIP(Community Involvement Points)
2004 - Current
Workshops and talks in public schools towards the education
and understanding of urban arts
Miscellaneous
June 2011
BLANK CANVAS 3
Battle of the Crews
The Cathay Graffiti Art Competition
Judging Panel and Artwork Showcase
RSCLS (ZERO & ANTZ & CLOGTWO)
The Cathay
September 2006
Invited by NYC to be part of
Young Singaporeans Dialogue with Prime Minister
16th and 24th September
Feb 2006
Invited as judge and graffiti showcase and workshop for
FUNK IT OUT @ Heartlands Street Fiesta
Graffiti Competition
Jan 2006
Art Direction and Curation for Nexus Total Defence
Mobile Graffiti Exhibtion containers
Mindef
Sept 2005
Noise Festival Singapore
Judge
National Arts Council