Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv by Jesvin Yeo

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv by Jesvin Yeo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award Kub in Tsim Xov Xwm Luam Tawm thiab Xov Xwm Tshaj Tawm Competition Category.

KubLuam Tawm· 2022

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv

by Jesvin Yeo

A' Design Award Kub Winner in Luam Tawm Category

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Colors

The Design

About Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv

Phau ntawv siv 3D embossing los sau thiab qhia txog cov ntsiab lus sib txawv ntawm cov haujlwm ua haujlwm zoo los ntawm cov neeg ua haujlwm Singaporean, los ntawm cov ntawv zaj nkoj thiab Indian cov hniav nyiaj hniav kub mus rau Peranakan khau khiab. Cov nplooj ntawv xim qhia txog qhov nce thiab poob ntawm cov khoom siv ib txwm siv, raws li kev lag luam pib nws txoj kev loj hlob (dub) rau nws lub hnub nyoog golden (daj) thiab maj mam ploj mus (dawb). Lub pastel chalk txuas rau cov neeg nyeem kom ntxoov ntxoo cov nplooj ntawv thiab nrhiav pom cov txuj ci ploj ntawm cov cuab yeej cuab tam kev coj noj coj ua ntawm Singapore, tsuas yog peb tib neeg tuaj yeem tiv thaiv, txhawb nqa thiab coj nws rov qab.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Kub

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv yog tus yeej ntawm A' Design Award Kub, ib qho kev lees paub muaj meej mom heev uas muab rau cov qauv tsim qib ib, zoo kawg nkaus thiab tshwj xeeb. Cov neeg yeej Kub yog cov khoom tsim tshiab heev, pom deb heev thiab ci ntsa iab uas qhia txog kev txawj ntse, kev txawj thiab lub zog ntawm cov kws tsim qauv. Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv xav tias yuav yog ib qho kev tsim uas tau txais kev qhuas ntau, tsim kev nyiam tshiab thiab loj uas ua rau muaj nqi tsis tau muaj dua. Cov qauv tsim yeej A' Design Award Kub no yog ib qho haujlwm zoo kawg nkaus thiab muaj kev hwm uas pab tau ntau thiab nthuav dav ciam teb ntawm kev kos duab, kev tshawb fawb, kev tsim qauv thiab thev naus laus zis. Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Phau Ntawv ua rau muaj kev xav tau heev, txhawb kev mob siab, txhawb kev tsim tshiab thiab ua rau peb xav tsis thoob.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: What makes this book unique is the use of the 3D embossing technique, not just embossing, to highlight the intricate details of the works meticulously crafted by traditional Singaporean artisans, from dragon boats to Peranakan beaded shoes. With the pastel chalk, the book encourages reader engagement by colouring pages to discover the lost art of our ancestors, as only we humans can help safeguard, support and bring attention to the significance of this intangible cultural heritage.
Dimensions & Packaging: Book Box: 145mm (width) x 305mm (height) x 52mm (thickness)
Book Box Sleeve: 540mm (width) x 220mm (height)
Book: 140mm (width) x 298mm (height) x 40mm (thickness)
Book Sleeve: 530mm (width) x 298mm (height)
Inside pages (accordion fold): 4350mm (width) x 290mm (height)
3 Hard Covers: Inside Cover, Front and Back Covers
Tags: Traditional Artisans, Traditional Crafts, Cultural Artifacts, Intangible Cultural Heritage
Production Technology: The making of this book explores how to combine traditional book forms with new technologies, make traditional book forms more interesting through unusual structures and visual stimuli, and push the boundaries of book design. The book is of significance to the design field because it not only records the traditional crafts for future designers to explore and contribute to the local craft landscape but also examines book design as a form of vanishing traditional craft.
Design Challenge: The project challenges were facing the covid-19 pandemic and the difficulty of making 3D embossed plates. Production of the book was delayed for 6 months due to the intricateness of the artefacts and further halted for 8 months due to the spread of the coronavirus. The team worked closely with the production houses to ensure things could move forward smoothly, and we are grateful that all challenges were managed well in the end.
Research: Given the scarcity of available resources, the approach included analysing oral history data collected by the National Archives of Singapore under the Vanishing Trades project in the 1980s and conducting fieldwork with current and retired artisans to understand the current situation and future substantiate the findings. The aim of the project is to document Singapore lost or vanished traditional crafts so that future generations can learn about them even after they disappear.
Inspiration: Working with traditional artisans, I learned that when our ancestors came to Singapore in the 19th century from Malaya, China and India, they brought their values and livelihoods with them. These livelihoods include various forms of traditional crafts that have largely enriched Singapore cultural heritage. Thus, it is essential to record these crafts, some of which have vanished or will vanish within the next 20 years, and trace their place to the roots of their meaningful beginnings.
Project Duration: The project started in May 2015 in Singapore and finished production in December 2021. The book is on sale from March 2022.
Operation Flow: The colour pages of the book symbolize the rise and fall of traditional crafts, as the industry begins its developmental period (dull colour) to its golden age (yellow colour) and gradually fades (white colour). The pastel chalk is attached for readers to shade the pages and discover the lost arts of this intangible cultural heritage of Singapore.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Jesvin Yeo, 2021
Team Members: Jesvin Yeo
Alvin Ng.
Image Credits: All images: Photographer Victor Gui, 2021 and 2022