Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi by Jesvin Yeo

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi by Jesvin Yeo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 Ibhaso Legolide le-A' Design Award in Uyilo lokuShicilela kunye noKupapasha iMidiya Competition Category.

IgolideUkushicilela· 2022

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi

by Jesvin Yeo

Ibhaso Legolide le-A' Design Award Winner in Ukushicilela Category

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Colors

The Design

About Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi

Le ncwadi isebenzisa i-3D embossing ukuze ibhale kwaye iqaqambise iinkcukacha ezintsonkothileyo zemisebenzi eyenziwe ngokucokisekileyo ngamagcisa emveli aseSingapore, ukusuka kwiinqanawa zedragoni zephepha kunye nobucwebe baseIndiya ukuya kwizihlangu ezinamaso ePeranakan. Amaphepha ombala afanekisela ukunyuka kunye nokuwa kwezobugcisa bemveli, njengoko ishishini liqala ixesha lophuhliso (libuthuntu) ukuya kwiminyaka yalo yegolide (ephuzi) kwaye ngokuthe ngcembe iyancipha (imhlophe). Itshokhwe ye-pastel iqhotyoshelwe ukuba abafundi bafake umthunzi amaphepha kwaye bafumane ubugcisa obulahlekileyo beli lifa lenkcubeko engabonakaliyo yaseSingapore, njengoko thina bantu kuphela sinokukhusela, ukuxhasa kunye nokubuyisela kwakhona.

The Recognition

About the Ibhaso Legolide le-A' Design Award

Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi ngumphumeleli weIbhaso Legolide le-A' Design Award, ukuqatshelwa okuhlonitshwayo kakhulu okunikwa imiyilo yeklasi yokuqala, ephawulekayo nentle. Abaphumeleleyo beGolide ziimveliso ezintsha kakhulu, ezinombono ongaphaya nezikhazimlayo ezibonisa ubuchule, ubulumko nobuchule babayili bazo. Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi iyathenjwa ukuba ibe yimveliso edunyiswe kakhulu, ebeka umkhwa nekumgangatho wesikhumbuzo enikela ixabiso elingazange libonwe. Lo myilo uphumeleleyo weIbhaso Legolide le-A' Design Award yiprojekthi emangalisayo nehlonelwayo eluncedo kakhulu kwaye inyusa imida yobugcisa, inzululwazi, uyilo kunye nobuchwephesha. Fading Traditional Trades and Crafts Incwadi idala iimvakalelo ezinzulu zonqweno, ivusa umdla, ikhuthaza ukuyila kwaye iyasikhwebela.

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