Hanson Ho’s (b. 1974; Singapore) artistic practice emerges from the visual language he has developed as a graphic designer. Whether working in two or three dimensions, his approach seeks to endow each idea or material with a spatial, sculptural quality. His work investigates the interplay between abstraction, symbolism, and personal meaning, often engaging with themes that question the role of the artist as creator. While conventional graphic symbols aim for clarity and universality, Ho’s reductive visual forms diverge from this trajectory, instead cultivating a meditative, ambient sensibility that evokes mood, emotion, and perceptual experience.

Ho’s initial engagement with abstraction was articulated in his solo exhibition Shapes (1–15) (2015) at DECK Photography Art Centre, Singapore. The exhibition presented enlarged geometric forms—ambiguous shapes that Ho regards as physicalised digital artefacts—derived from his studio’s extensive archive of graphic work. In 2018, he began the development of (Water) Shapes No. 23–27, a 93-metre-long site-specific, permanent installation for the forthcoming Sungei Bedok MRT Station (opening in 2026). The work is designed to change in appearance relative to the viewer’s position, underscoring Ho’s sustained interest in perception and spatial experience.

Ho is a two-time recipient of the President*s Design Award –– Singapore’s highest honour in design ––receiving Designer of the Year in 2012 and Design of the Year in 2014. Since the early stages of his career, he has achieved international recognition, with his graphic work honoured by institutions such as the New York One Show Design, the New York Art Directors Club, Tokyo Type Directors Club, D&AD, and the Creative Circle Awards.

Ho’s contributions have played a pivotal role in shaping Singapore’s visual identity in international contexts. His notable projects include the visual identities for the Singapore Pavilion at various Venice Biennales and Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as for Civic District Singapore, the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize; and numerous publications for cultural institutions including the National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, Asian Civilisations Museum; as well as for prominent artists such as Heman Chong and Robert Zhao Renhui. His early experimental T-shirt label, Rabbit (2001 – 2007), was launched at Dover Street Market London, Comme des Garçons Guerrilla Store Singapore, and Colette Paris—demonstrating a cross-disciplinary sensibility from the outset.

In addition to his studio practice, Ho has contributed to public art initiatives as a curator for the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Art-in-Transit programme for the Downtown Line, and is currently overseeing the curation of artworks for four stations on the upcoming Cross Island Line. He has also served on juries for design awards including D&AD, the Creative Circle Awards, and the Singapore Good Design Awards.

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