Who said Singaporeans cannot be creative?

Elvin Ong, 25, is a pixel artist.

He is behind LVN93, a Facebook/ Tumblr art page that captures nostalgic images of Singapore in 8-bit form.

While pixel art mostly came to mainstream consciousness via 8-bit games, this medium itself is still very popular as an art form for retro expression.

What makes Ong's work stand out is his familiar and unassuming Singaporean nostalgia that resonates with our memories of childhood days gone by.

Meticulous

And even though it might be just pixels to the rest of us, putting the GIFs together is actually a lot of work.

For example, check out this GIF he did for National Day:

In this image, an elderly figure peers out into the distance with a satisfied sigh, while the Singapore flag that is hung from the ledge unfurls in the wind, along with the plants that sway gently.

Ong's eye to detail is mesmerising.

One can see the lighter pixels that bring out the reflective surface of the window panes and the shadows being cast from the overarching upper floor.

Look closer, and you can see the neatly-defined railings and ledges, and those little pixels that suggest that the apartment gate that is left open and ajar while the man looks out around his estate.

Ong's meticulousness can also be seen in his other work, such as two of his pixel art pieces that focus on blocks in Pasir Ris, which capture familiar aspects of the housing estate in the area, such as the iconic blue and yellow block signs:

And of course, the orange-red bricks, an iconic look for several of the blocks around the area.

Here's one from Bedok, with several birds flying past as the sun sets:

His work also captures iconic modern buildings, such as Suntec City at night:

And The Gateway, at Beach Road:

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In the "About" section of his Facebook page, Ong says his work is best enjoyed with some coffee and lo-fi hip-hop, which we agree.

To identify Singapore as an assembly of pixels is to recognise the country in more ways than one.

Top image adapted via LVN93's Facebook page