Old/New
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
My education and upbringing were heavily steeped in tradition. I spent countless hours practicing chinese calligraphy, studied extensively classical Chinese, Malay and English, even learnt to play Guzheng along the way. So, it is hardly surprising that my design sensibilities and aesthetics are very much influenced by old world philosophies and ideas. How does meld old with the new? How does one reappropriate the old to suit the new? I am part of the modern/contemporary generation, yet I also want to exert my identity and cultural heritage into my work whenever it is appropriate. I am just still exploring the art and design world around me and finding out how to better myself, but it is a question that I am always pondering.
This is certainly not a new topic; many designers and artists - particularly the ones that are in historically rich and culturally solidified countries such as China - face the same issue. With the world also on the fast track to becoming a global village, we also face another issue - how does Eastern sensibilities fuse with Western ones?
Poster created by Chen Shaohua.