Retro design, when done well, is a thing of beauty and one of the predicted digital art trends for 2025. Visual designer Nicolas Damiens, who moved from Paris to Singapore is ahead of the pack with his fashionably stylised photographic art project City Pop.
The French artist has turned everyday scenes from Singapore into highly stylised, pastel-washed images where detail is reduced, colour is king and sharp, simple lines are celebrated. Nicolas’ view of Singapore in City Pop is one of palm trees and sun-bleached buildings that recalls peak 1980s design; I can imagine one of Patrick Nagel‘s women living in Nicolas’ Singapore.
The City Pop photography project started in 2023, with the idea of transforming everyday scenes of Singapore into vibrant and nostalgic City Pop art. Nicolas explains: “Having previously lived in Paris and New York, I developed an instinct to associate each city with a unique colour palette and soundtrack, likely influenced by my professional background.”
(Image credit: Nicolas Damiens)
(Image credit: Nicolas Damiens)
(Image credit: Nicolas Damiens)
Nicolas tells me: “When I relocated to Singapore, everything felt exotic and new, giving me the opportunity to view the world with a fresh perspective. Singapore’s perpetual summer, palm trees, ocean views, pastel tones, and retro ambiance shaped my perception of it as a living embodiment of the City Pop aesthetic.”
The inspiration behind City Pop stems Nicolas’ love for creative side projects that provide a sense of freedom outside his work as a visual designer in advertising. He says, “Unlike the constraints of client-driven projects, City Pop serves as an open playground where I can fully express myself. It’s a space to explore visual ideas and bring them to life without boundaries.”
(Image credit: Nicolas Damiens)
(Image credit: Nicolas Damiens)
The art style of City Pop is characterised by its vibrant, colourful and nostalgic atmosphere, reflecting the energy of urban life in Singapore. Whether it’s the city streets, gleaming skyscrapers and store fronts, Nicolas aims to capture the essence of 1980s aesthetics.
“Hiroshi Nagai, the celebrated Japanese graphic designer known for his City Pop album covers, has been a major influence on this project,” says Nicolas. “Through my photos, I aim to evoke a sense of joy and timelessness, creating feel-good scenes that resonate with viewers.”
Despite appearing staged and perfectly framed, Nicolas says many of his photos are unplanned and “captured spontaneously as I explore Singapore”. He tells me, “This city is brimming with surprises at every corner, making it the perfect canvas for inspiration. My creative process involves framing the composition to emphasise the key subject, meticulously editing out unnecessary details, and applying colour corrections to achieve the retro vibe that defines City Pop.”
