Even if you don’t know her face, Sam Lo’s reputation precedes her. Mention “Sticker Lady” or the person who sprayed “My Grandfather Road” on the street in 2011, and even your mother would be like “orrrrhhh that one.” It's an act of art (and vandalism) so audacious and her subsequent arrest so headline-grabbing, she will — for better or for worse — probably never live it down. And that's okay. By taking on the moniker Your friendly neighbourhood Sticker Lady (she also pasted stickers that said Press Once Can Already and Anyhow Paste Kena Fine at traffic light junctions and public spaces), Sam Lo, aka SKL0, is owning her past, so that she can continue to create for the future.

8days.sg meets the 33-year-old visual artist outside the G-SHOCK Casio Premium store at Marina Bay Sands, where she's prepping to meet guests and the media to launch her G-SHOCK x SKL0 timepiece, a specially-designed version of the brand's popular GX-56BB watch to commemorate Singapore's 54th National Day. So how did she get from street vandal/artist to collaborator for a huge watch brand, while creating art installations at the National Design Centre and others in between?

Well, according to Sam, she's been wearing G-Shocks since forever, so maybe this collab was always written in the stars — or should we say, spray-painted on the streets?

How did you feel when G-Shock first approached you to collaborate on a watch?
SAM LO: I was super stoked. I grew up with the brand. The first watch I ever saved up to buy was a G-Shock. I was bussing tables as a server, and my first paycheck went into buying that watch. The G-Shock is very versatile and bold, and I like its edgy look. I like that it’s strong and tough. And it's resilient, like Singapore. The work I do has always been very physical, whether it’s painting murals or going out to install works, and there’d be times when I’d drop my watch or damage it. Ever since I got my first one, I’ve always worn G-Shocks.

Tell us about the inspiration for your design, which mostly appears on the bottom strap of the watch.
The inspiration is first and foremost Singapore. The five stars on the strap are inspired by the five stars on our flag, and it’s a reimagining of our pursuit for perfection. We always want to be the best, so it’s like excellence and five out of five stars for everything. I’m always very intrigued by culture, and I broke it down to a few design elements you can see in the watch. I decided to take that familiar visual of [Peranakan] tiles and inject modern day elements to it, which reflect our new values. [The first layer, in red] signifies the element of surveillance or the idea of a smart nation. The camera and the lens — it’s very consistent in my work. Next we have the lightning bolt, which stands for power. The [blue Peranakan tiles] has the element of heritage, and then we have Economy, with design elements influenced by our one-dollar coin, which has the shape of the “bagua”. The last part is about our auspicious beliefs — Singaporeans are very pantang, and the graphics here are inspired by lucky symbols.

What are some of your favourite motifs to work with?
I talk about surveillance a lot. When you look around you, you see a lot more cameras popping up than before. Perhaps because of my history as a vandal-turned-artist, who got arrested before, I always take note of cameras — maybe it’s a job hazard! (Laughs) At the same time, as much as we see all these cameras popping up, and how they are intrusive, we also feel safe. I thought it was intriguing ’cos this is such a first world situation. At the end of it, the data is being handled by other humans, and that makes you think. My work is always based on social narratives, the people, and how everything is interdependent on one another. Art is meant to react to the things happening around you, to tell stories of a current time.

Do you think working with mainstream and commercial brands such as G-Shock is a way of reaching new audiences for you?
I’ve been working with a few different brands, and I always feel privileged that I’m able to share my work on different platforms, and with brands who have their own communities. Urban art itself has also got its reach. At the end of the day, we have social media and Internet, so as long as you have stuff online, you can share it with anyone in any part of the world.

Has social media changed the way you work? The social community has changed a lot in just the past five years.
Actually, no, not really. In 2011, when I got arrested, it was actually because of social media! (Laughs) I was already using Instagram then, and I would put my work up and have people vote on what they like. So my community has grown with me and I love that. So the whole arrest happened ’cos a lot of people were sharing [images of the stickers and spray-painted road] and I had a lot of people tag me. It’s like a double-edged sword. I love it when people share, and I love it when they tag me, but I don’t love it when they knock on my door. (Laughs) But I’m glad people supported me, and shared my work beyond the physical space. After the arrest, there was a petition and a lot of a support, so social media did help to a certain degree.

What do you love and hate about Singapore?
I love how resilient and united we are. Like with new policies such as the ERP, everyone would complain, but after a while, it’s like, that’s the way it is, bopian. We are resilient and we are adaptable. But that could be problematic too, if we don’t speak up about something, whether it’s about some injustice or anything that doesn’t sit right. If we don’t speak up, and we just keep quiet, it doesn’t help the situation. It’s like, things don’t always have to be the way they are. Everything you feel is valid, and it’s about speaking up more and listening more.

How does it feel to be hailed as an icon of Singapore design, street art and street culture, and of someone who pushes the envelope and boundaries?
Awkward. It’s a very big title. It’s too scary. I really appreciate that, but I wanna learn more. I don’t feel very comfortable with being placed like that, ’cos I’m such a small part of everything.

What’s the most patriotic thing you’ve ever done?
You think pasting the stickers was patriotic? (Laughs)

In that you love your country so much that you bothered to do something, maybe?
Yeah, maybe! I think that might be my most patriotic thing.

Like you felt strongly enough to do something that could get you into trouble.
You said it for me! But legit! When I did that, it started out as just for fun, and I realised it was a manifestation of this obsession I have with culture and identity, of who we’ve become and how we’ve progressed so much that we don’t recognise our surroundings as much. This project meant a lot ’cos it was about trying to make our surroundings relatable again, to make Singapore feel like the home we grew up in. So when the traffic light [button has a sticker that] says “Press Once Can Already”, it’s a little joke, a unique thing we share, ’cos that’s our language and our culture. With that, you can connect to your environment. It was a project based on taking back that space and reclaiming it for the public, and so yes, maybe that’s the most patriotic thing I’ve done.

The G-SHOCK x SKL0 timepiece ($299) is limited to 300 pieces and available exclusively in Singapore, at all G-SHOCK Boutiques (except IMM).


Photos: Alvin Teo