Conventional Chinese language spheres, ketupat weaving, Peranakan beads and embroidery, and rangoli. These could also be classic crafts, from our grandparents’ technology, and even our great-grandparents’, however earlier than you dismiss them as outdated heirlooms, be amazed at these reimagined fashionable variations.
By means of July 31, 2022, you’ll be able to rise up shut and private with these fashionable prototypes of historic crafts on the Nationwide Museum as a part of the Nationwide Heritage Board’s inaugural Craft X Design exhibit.
How did they arrive about? They’re the artistic offspring of 4 groups introduced collectively by an open name final yr: every group is a duo made up of a veteran native artisan and a up to date designer/design studio.
Anticipate a blinding fashionable Peranakan kebaya, a reconstructed Chinese language lantern as a eating room lamp, and extra. This is a preview:
1. Rejuvenation robe
The sensible minds behind this up to date tackle the normal Peranakan kebaya are practitioner Raymond Wong and design studio Aller Row.
Referred to as the “Rejuvenation Gown,” it incorporates a resplendent array of colours and motifs which can be primarily based on Peranakan tradition. NGL, I can undoubtedly see this seem on the purple carpet on the upcoming Star Awards.
2. Refined Rangoli metallic objects
It takes two fingers to clap, and the fascinating rangoli-inspired piece of metallic actually involves life due to practitioner Vijaya Mohan and designer Jarrod Lim.
In a decidedly modernist assembly of previous and new, Jarrod used laser reducing expertise to carve Vijaya’s intricate rangoli motifs into slices of chrome steel. The slices have been then folded by hand into the form of a lampshade and a bowl. tremendous wow!
three. Concord Spheres Lamp
This contemporary lamp is the brainchild of practitioner Jimm Wong and design studio NextOfKin (NOK) Creatives.
Drawing on Jimm’s experimentation with the fabric properties of bamboo and the NOK group’s experience in 3D design, the completed construction molds inflexible bamboo ribs right into a form that expresses swish curvature.
Say royal, it is a dialog starter – when you had this as your eating room mild fixture, I feel your friends can be busy determining how this distinctive multi-spherical construction was constructed as an alternative of focusing in your kitchen.
four. Stripe Furnishings
Who is not intrigued and mystified by the intricacies of ketupat weaving, proper? However what is going to amaze you most is the best way practitioner Anita Tompang has used ketupat weaving in up to date furnishings making, with the assistance of designer Andrew Loh.
As a substitute of coconut leaves and rice muffins, strips of thick felt have been woven round foams of various densities, a way impressed by the perform of ketupats as containers.
And sure, you’ll be able to rearrange the modular nature of furnishings for quite a lot of practical on a regular basis makes use of. Go loopy!
Meet the creators and participate in a hands-on session
Psst… There shall be a public workshop on July 9, 2022 on the Nationwide Museum the place the 4 pairs of artisans and designers will share extra about the entire collaborative course of and their experiences and challenges.
Contributors may even have the chance to strive their hand at weaving ketupats or creating rangoli in hands-on periods led by Anita Tompang and Vijaya Mohan, respectively.
Study extra right here.
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This text was first revealed on Wonderwall.sg.
