A Beachside Playscape

Set along the sun-drenched shores of Tanjong Beach, Sentosa, Lobster Beach, presented by Mastercard and supported by Sentosa Development Corporation, is a large-scale public art activation by British pop artist Philip Colbert that transforms the beachfront into an immersive playscape of colour, humour, and imagination. Conceived as a natural extension of the duo exhibition Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams at Whitestone Gallery Singapore, the installation invites visitors to encounter Colbert’s iconic universe beyond the gallery walls—within one of Singapore’s most loved leisure destinations.

At the heart of the activation stands an 8-metre ice-cream sculpture, a joyful and instantly recognisable form that draws on the shared language of beach culture, holidays, and childhood nostalgia. Universally associated with seaside indulgence and fleeting pleasure, ice cream becomes Colbert’s sculptural metaphor for the spirit of the beach itself: light-hearted, temporary, and unforgettable.

Ice Cream, the Beach, and the Art of Play

Lobster Beach by Philip Colbert, 8m x 6m, 2026

Dedicated specifi cally to Tanjong Beach, the ice-cream sculpture anchors Colbert’s Lobster universe within the local coastal landscape. Towering against the open sky, the work blurs distinctions between art object, public landmark, and playful encounter. Its exaggerated scale and bold colours transform a familiar beachside treat into a surreal monument—one that invites slowing down, looking up, and re-imagining the everyday through art.

Ice cream, in Colbert’s practice, is not merely decorative. It carries associations of pleasure, excess, and impermanence, echoing broader themes within Playscapes of Dreams: how individuals navigate contemporary life through moments of play, humour, and imaginative escape. Situated by the sea, the sculpture becomes a meeting point between fantasy and lived experience, where art unfolds alongside sun, sand, and movement.

A Marine-Inspired Landscape

Surrounding the central sculpture are three 5-metre infl atable installations inspired by sea creatures, extending Colbert’s visual narrative across the beachfront. Floating and rising within the open environment, these marine-themed forms animate the landscape with colour and rhythm, echoing the life of the ocean while reinforcing the artist’s fascination with scale, accessibility, and public engagement.

Together, the ice-cream sculpture and infl atables create a cohesive coastal playscape—one that encourages exploration, movement, and shared experience. Whether encountered during a beach walk, a family outing, or at sunset, the installations offer visitors a playful yet refl ective moment within the natural fl ow of beach life.

Michael Ma, Assistant Chief Executive (Business & Digital Technology Group), Sentosa Development Corporation, said, "The appeal of Phillip Colbert's extraordinary 'Lobster Beach' exhibition lies in how our pristine golden sands serve as a dynamic gallery space, allowing the vibrant sculptures to take on new dimensions as they're set against the natural beauty of our beachfront backdrop. By integrating distinctive contemporary art with our island's natural elements, we're offering guests a truly special experience as they come to enjoy our beaches. With this exhibition showcasing Sentosa's unique attributes as a venue for the contemporary arts, we look forward to the possibility of hosting more artistic collaborations, on the island where discovery never ends.”

From Beach to Gallery: Completing the Playscape

Lobster Beach forms part of a wider, multi-site artistic experience spanning both public and institutional spaces. Visitors are invited to continue their journey at Whitestone Gallery Singapore, where Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams brings together Colbert’s Temple of the Sunflower and Aruta Soup’s Shuffle within a shared curatorial framework.

While the Sentosa activation unfolds under open skies, the gallery exhibition offers a more intimate encounter with the artists’ evolving visual worlds—allowing audiences to experience how character, narrative, and play operate across scale, medium, and context. Together, these sites form interconnected chapters of the same imaginative landscape, encouraging visitors to move between beach, city, and gallery to fully experience the playscape in its many forms.

Visitor Information

Philip Colbert: Lobster Beach - A Public Art Activation as Part of Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams

Sentosa Island – Tanjong Beach, Singapore
24 January - 15 February 2026
Whitestone Gallery Singapore

Gallery Exhibition:
Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams
Venue: Whitestone Gallery Singapore
Dates: 24 January – 14 March 2026

Exclusive Mastercard Privileges:
For World Select / Elite Mastercard Holders:

• Enjoy 10% off all Philip Colbert merchandise.
• Enjoy 10% off all Philip Colbert artwork.
• Redeem a Philip Colbert Towel worth $150 with a minimum spend of $188 at Tanjong Beach Club.
• Redeem a $25 return voucher with a minimum spend of $100 at Tanjong Beach Club.

For Regular Cardholders:

• Enjoy 5% off all Philip Colbert merchandise.
• Enjoy 5% off all Philip Colbert artwork.
• Redeem a Philip Colbert Towel worth $150 with a minimum spend of $188 at Tanjong Beach Club.

*includes all Mastercard cardholders globally