hi! I am niceaunties, a contemporary artist and designer based in Singapore
‘5mins to Opening’
one of many jelly shops in the jelly mall, jelly city, auntieverse
currently building auntieverse
‘FOMO Jelly’
aunties wear protective companion ‘jelly suits’ in trendy auntieverse fashion
‘Mercury Day Brain’
a look at auntie’s head on a wednesday
Auntie culture is a theme deeply rooted in everyday life where I grew up. The term "auntie" is widely used and understood—it refers to elder women in your family, but it’s also applied in broader, often less flattering ways. When someone is ageing, they’re called auntie. If they nag, they’re called auntie. Outdated, old-fashioned taste? That’s "auntie taste." Even someone who adheres to tradition might be labelled an auntie.
Despite how often the term is used, it’s rarely explored or discussed. I realised it’s an intriguing cultural phenomenon, but it’s also one that often vilifies the auntie archetype as undesirable. As I age and move into "auntiehood" myself, I felt determined to change this perception and to better understand what it means to be an auntie.
When I discovered AI as a rapid tool for testing ideas and visuals, aunties naturally became the subject of my work. They’re familiar, relatable, and deeply layered characters who represent the everyday with humour, strength, and complexity.
‘Auntlantis: Workshop’ Behind the scenes in Auntlantis and aunties’ outlet malls
my 11 mins TED talk is a good introduction to niceaunties :
one of auntie’s customised jelly suits
about
Niceaunties is a contemporary artist and designer based in Singapore. Drawing inspiration from the influential women in her family and the distinct 'auntie culture,' her work explores themes of ageing, beauty, personal freedom, and everyday life through AI and digital art. Her life experiences and architectural training inform the conceptual basis of her pieces, while her focus on the nuanced behaviours of 'aunties' highlights the culture prevalent in Asian communities.
Influenced by surrealism, fantasy, and kawaii culture, Niceaunties' art champions empowerment and self-expression. The niceaunties project was presented in a TED talk in Vancouver in 2024. The project has been showcased globally, including exhibitions at the Lousiana Museum in Denmark, Digital Art Mile during Art Basel 2024, PhotoVogue Milan 2023, Expanded.Art Gallery Berlin 2024 and V&A in London during the digital art weekend 2024. Niceaunties was commissioned by the City of West Hollywood for a public artwork ‘Aunties on Sunset’ , which was exhibited on a billboard at Sunset Boulevard from June to September 2024. Niceaunties is represented by the gallery Fellowship, with her works featured in the gallery's daily.xyz project and in multiple international exhibitions. She contributed to Christie's 'Creating Connections' charity auction in 2023 and recently exhibited her collection “Along the River in Auntieverse” at Christie’s 2024 Art + Tech conference in New York City. Her art has been featured in the Straits Times, Forbes and the Guardian.