Category Archives: Typographic Portrait (Final)

Typography Portrait: Final

My name is Denise and I’m PeranakanUntitled-4

I paired the baba (man) with a mata puteh (oriental white eye) to mimic the sentiment of old Singapore. Back in the day, these birds were admired for its singing quality/buka and the price  to appreciate a songbird’s chirp at home could range from $30-500.

 

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The pairing of the nyonya (woman) silhouette with a peony was more reflective of an old and common Peranakan motif. The peony, regarded as the king of flowers, represents fertility as well as nobility. According to old legend, the emperor of China in the 15th century sent his daughter to the sultan of Malacca together with a band of other nobles and servants. They eventually grew to become what we know as the Peranakans.

 

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The remaining two pattern designs were inspired by Peranakan tiles. Composed by emblems made of a mixture of letters, each different symbol is meant to be openly interpreted to have its own story or meaning e.g. one symbol could symbolise a flower/family insignia/composition of them could be seen as a family tree.

 

Overall, I’m pretty content with how the pieces turned out; they were meant to mirror the culture’s sense of femininity and delicacy and I think it was encapsulated to a degree. Can’t wait to start on the next project!