I’m a designer based in Singapore, committed to exploring diverse approaches to design, especially those that prioritise context, clarity, and empathy. My work is guided by research and the stories it can reveal, across any discipline or medium.
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LinkedInMuseum of Post-Traditional
Contemporary Peranakan
Year
2017
Completed at
LASALLE College of the Arts
The development of the Peranakan culture was a gradual process of selective absorption and adaptation of other cultural elements. It is often described as a culture of hybridity, and widely known as a mix of Malay, Chinese and other races in Singapore. One of the signifiers that stands out in the culture is the kebaya, the dress worn by female Peranakans. It signifies the apotheosis of Peranakan culture where the machine embroidery plays a significant role in the making of the kebaya that most are familiar with today. This type of kebaya is perceived as the ‘traditional’ costume of the Peranakans and is often worn during official meetings, representing Singapore.
However, with the label of a tradition and the continuous reproduction of kebaya and the same 1950s stylistic elements, this could be seen as stultifying the process of cultural transformation. This raises a question then how is tradition being perceived this way? What does it mean to the continuity of the culture in the current post-traditional society?
The Museum of Post-Traditional is a fictitious museum based on an actual location in Singapore: The Chinese Weekly Entertainment Club. It is through here where the concept of ‘tradition’ is explored and communicated in the context of Peranakan culture. Issues of how and why the ‘kebaya sulam’ is seen as ‘traditional’ are highlighted through the conceptual zonings and art pieces.
The Celestial Reasoning Society
At the final space of the museum is an area inviting the audience to get together and reflect. The Celestial Reasoning Society is an extension of the Museum of Post-Traditional. It exists as a physical space, but also serves as a platform to explore identity within the conditions of post-traditional culture.
To kickstart the discussion, four Peranakans—both half and full—in their twenties were invited to view the artworks in the Museum of Post-Traditional. Their thoughts are compiled into a book, and placed in the museum for others to read. By piquing the reader’s interest in these Peranakans’ unique perspectives, the book encourages them to question preconceived assumptions within their own culture.
This thesis research was done alongside with the dissertation. Abstract of the paper can be found here.