Jesvin Yeo
Jesvin Yeo
Architectural Decoration: Negotiating Symbols Across Time and Place, 2014
13720-BK
10 x 171 1/4 in. (25.4 x 435 cm)
This limited editioned bamboo scroll explores Chinese culture in Singapore showcasing the 3 oldest Hokkien temples in Singapore; Thian Hock Keng(1839), Tan Si Chong(1876) and Siong Lim Sian See(1902). The experience created by scrolling through engraved bamboo strips aims to serve as a platform for better understanding cultural material and to stimulate the interest of younger generations. In this age of constant scrolling of a different sort this is an ode to a more ancient tradition of scrolling.
Combining new technology and old material, where past and present are in continuous dialogue which allows for the depiction of a continuous narrative: the viewing is a progression through time and space. This hybrid scroll is composed of 150 hand drawn illustrations, refined on the computer over 8 months, to be laser etched onto 225 bamboo strips sewn together to create the longest bamboo scroll in Singapore, measuring 4.35 meters(14.27 feet) long.
The content is comprehensive archival documentation of the architecture and design of these temples that is virtually non-existent in English.
“Auspicious themes are a central element of the traditional architectural expressions. Ornaments of legendary beasts, such as dragon, phoenix, and lion, are often reflected on the architecture to symbolize good luck and to ward off fierce evil”
Each copy took five days to complete, and the entire project took Jesvin Yeo and her team over 3 years to complete. Edition of only 40 copies
Jesvin Yeo(she, her, hers)
A third-generation Hokkien Chinese Singaporean descended from Chinese Immigrants. (Hokkien is a dialect originating from the Fu-Jian Province in China. Distinctly different from Mandarin Chinese, it spread to Taiwan in the late Ming Dynasty following development of the Quanzhou area and ports.)
Jesvin’s books are significant to the design field because they not only record traditional trades and crafts for future designers to explore and contribute to the local craft landscape but also examine book design as a form of disappearing traditional craft. Her books are the end product of a series of design explorations, including integrating traditional book forms with new technologies, making traditional book forms more interesting through unusual structures and visual stimuli, and pushing the boundaries of graphic design.
“I just know that I am interested in the dialogue between tradition and contemporary, old and new. Although I work with tradition elements, I create my content with our younger generation in mind. I believe that tradition and culture are symbols of thought and it is important to pass them down. Hopefully our young people can continue to preserve it. Moreover, I feel that a product is made up by a combination of effort from many people, so it has to scream and not just sit subtly.”
Price Upon Request
