Glisten

2024

Glisten is the seventh instalment of the Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden Commission series, showcasing the work of internationally renowned artist Lisa Reihana. We were commissioned by National Gallery Singapore to design the accompanying catalogue, reflecting the intricate beauty and celebratory spirit of the artwork.

The sculpture itself, composed of over 114,000 shimmer discs and an evocative soundscape of wind chimes, responds dynamically to sunlight and wind, creating a multi-sensory experience. This interplay of light, movement, and sound inspired the publication’s design, which captures the sculpture’s kinetic energy and cultural resonance.

Intricate patterns drawn from Songket and Māori Tāniko weaving traditions are a recurring motif throughout the book, extending across the pages like a rich, continuous tapestry of colours and textures. These patterns not only reflect the visual identity of the artwork but also honour the meeting of Southeast Asian and Aotearoa traditions that underpin Reihana’s practice.

A vibrant spectrum of colours and dynamic graphic elements give the catalogue a sense of movement, echoing the shimmering surfaces of the sculpture. Layering, depth, and repetition create shifting vantage points, inviting readers to engage with the pages as they would with the sculpture itself; actively, thoughtfully, and with wonder.

On The Mat with Yee I-Lann

2024

Commissioned by the Singapore Art Museum, we designed the exhibition catalogue for Yee I-Lann: Mansau-Ansau, a publication that invites readers to explore the textured aesthetics of the Sabah-born artist's versatile practice. Yee I-Lann's work spans photomedia, batik, weaving, and video, reflecting two decades of engagement with critical themes like colonial critique, power, and politics, and their alternatives in egalitarian forms, language, and economies.

Mansau-Ansau in Dusun (the language of the Dusun and Kadazan of Sabah) means to walk without a predetermined destination. It evokes a wandering path that welcomes chance and possibilities. Translated into a weave, it manifests as a pattern without pattern, a pattern that follows its own rhythm. The design concept was inspired by the curatorial vision articulated by lead curator June Yap: "The book is like a mat – a place to be in each other's presence, to give space, and to engage." This idea of the mat, not only as a woven form but as a space of connection and exchange, became the guiding metaphor for the publication's structure, aesthetic and textural influence.

Titled On The Mat with Yee I-Lann, each chapter begins with a bold, vibrant colour, creating a visual rhythm that reflects the dialogue between regional and international voices, including writers, curators, and critics. These sections seamlessly transition into spreads featuring beautifully reproduced full-colour images of Yee’s works, offering a rich interplay of textual and visual narratives.

The design emphasises both the tactile and conceptual qualities of Yee’s practice, echoing the interwoven threads of the mat while giving prominence to the layered philosophies underpinning her art. The result is a publication that not only complements the exhibition but also stands as a reflection of Yee I-Lann’s enduring legacy and the critical conversations her work inspires.

Write a Christmas Card 2024

2024

#WriteaChristmasCard is our studio's yearly self-initiated campaign to encourage people to send a handwritten note or a card to someone they care about for Christmas. Through the joy of receiving a beautiful and uniquely themed card from us, we hope it in turn inspires the recipients to do the same.

For the 13th edition of this series, we’ve reimagined festive cheer with an out-of-the-mould design that features a cleverly concealed secret compartment housing whimsical thing-a-ma-jigs; an invitation to unwrap wonder and the magic of Christmas.

Stray to Stay

2024

Stray to Stay, is a dog-friendly group exhibition that seeks to raise awareness about the challenges that stray dogs in Singapore face while celebrating the compassionate efforts of those who dedicate their lives to helping them, and the families who offer them a permanent place in their lives. Through a combination of compelling visual narratives and a striking sculpture that was commissioned for this exhibition, the exhibition aims to foster a deeper understanding and empathy towards the plight of these often overlooked animals. This exhibition is not merely a visual experience but a call to action. Whether through adoption, volunteering, or simply spreading awareness, every visitor is encouraged to contribute to this cause.

We took on a minimalist approach with designing the exhibition and visual identity for this exhibition, utilising elegant lines to represent the unbroken line of trust that forms between humans and dogs. Paired with a handwritten signature, the identity adds a human touch and an overall warmth to this event.

An Ode to Absence

2024

When does the past end and the present begin, and what exists in the in-between? The nature of time is often explored through the lens of both permanence and transience. How does the fluidity of memory, which is deeply subjective, shape the process of art-making? If there might be an aesthetic that expresses the complex relationship between loss, time, and solitude, how would it look like? What visual or conceptual elements would it involve?

An Ode to Absence, curated by Michelle Ho and held at the ADM Gallery of the NTU School of Art, Design and Media, is an exhibition that explores these questions. By considering the notions of “lack” and “longing,” the exhibition delves into how these themes can articulate the nuances of temporal experience and the conceptual weight of absence.

Featuring works drawn from private art collections, this exhibition is an exercise of a curatorial methodology that seeks to create connections between seemingly disparate pieces to reveal underlying themes that might otherwise remain obscured. Through this process, the curatorial approach transforms individual pieces into a narrative that invites viewers to contemplate the time as an interplay between presence and absence, and the dimensions of the ephemeral and the enduring.

The exhibition design aims to evoke a sense of introspection, fluidity, and quiet tension. Inspired by the themes of memory, time, and solitude, the visual language explores the delicate balance between what is seen and unseen, present and absent. The brand mark is minimalist; featuring a delicate serif typeface that appears partially obscured, suggesting elements that have been worn away over time, creating a visual metaphor for absence and the intangible.

CURIO

2024

CURIO is an art fundraiser organised by Rainbow Centre, a charity serving persons with disabilities, showcasing 45 works of art by talented youths who share their perspectives and observations of the world.

In a time when open-mindedness is more necessary than ever, this exhibition encourages us to see beyond the familiar and to value curiosity as a catalyst for understanding. Through their art, these youths reveal beauty in diverse perspectives, reminding us that inclusion is the path to a more vibrant, empathetic world.

Our work for this exhibition includes the branding, spatial design and the social media visual identity kit. Crafted under the guiding principles of 'A bold delight through art', we created a brand mark that is a combination of multiple typefaces and overlapping nodes, representing the spirit of curiosity and new discoveries, as well as the idea of beyond.

The spatial design for the exhibition leads visitors through the learning journeys of the artists with a generous use of colours throughout the space as bright sparks, bringing forth the excitement of curiosity.

Fern Wong, Natural Geometry

2024

Fern Wong is a self-taught artist visual with Down syndrome, whose interdisciplinary practice seamlessly blends drawing and paper-cutting techniques that resonate deeply with the inherent patterns in the natural world, echoing themes that have fascinated humanity for centuries.

In her first solo exhibition Natural Geometry, made possible after receipt of the grand prize at the inaugural UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize 2023, Fern presents a retrospective look into her decades-long practice. From the intricacies of her dot paintings to the fractal-like patterns of her paper-cuts, Fern’s art evokes the beauty of natural phenomena, such as the branching of trees, the formation of crystals, and geometric shapes that allude to flowers and fishes. Each work is imbued with a sense of joy and meticulous attention to detail, reflecting Fern’s personal journey and artistic evolution.

Our exhibition design intent revolves around the concept of "Introspection of Craft". It invites visitors to delve into the world of Fern’s intricate artistry through a masterful play of negative space and form. By using her recognisable silhouette set against the vibrant, complex patterns of her work, the exhibition branding visually narrates her introspective journey as an artist. The unseen spaces become as vital as the visible, symbolising the quiet moments of reflection that fuel her craftsmanship. This immersive experience reminds us of the delicate balance and interconnectedness of all living things, as viewers contemplate the beauty and intricacy of the natural world.

Curated by John Tung

ART:DIS Pop-Up Store

2024

We are proud to have collaborated with ART:DIS Singapore to design and fit out their very first pop-up store at New Bahru, a creative lifestyle destination showcasing a different side of Singapore.

The design concept we adopted centers around creating an inclusive, vibrant, and inviting space. The use of pop and fresh colours, combined with an open concept and breezy flow shapes an energetic environment and highlights the creativity of the artists with disabilities, featuring tapestries, furniture, ceramic wares, paintings and merchandise made by them.

Nature’s Embrace

2024

Yeo Boon Khim Mind Science Centre (YBK MSC) is a research centre of National University of Singapore (NUS) and National University Health Systems (NUHS). MAELab, the gallery arm of the centre is an innovative space that showcases seasonal curations of mental health themes. Visitors will be in for a visual and cognitive discovery of how art, mindfulness and various transdisciplinary research areas can give rise to creative and integrative interventions for the community.

Maelab's third curation, titled Nature's Embrace seeks to offer an immersive exploration of the profound connection between nature and mental well-being. Curated by MAELab with support from National Parks Board (NParks), this exhibition blends creative exhibits with the healing elements of nature, exploring the transformative link between mindfulness and the mind-body-nature connection.

In the design of the exhibition, our goal was to transport visitors into a natural setting where they are encouraged to reflect upon their relationship with the environment and this serves as a catalyst towards embracing nature as a vital resource for mental wellness. The entrance makes use of hanging vines to create a serene arrival experience, akin to entering a forest pathway. Divided into thematic zones(A Stronger Mind, Mindfulness in Action and Restorative Zones), the exhibition itself is filled with abundant greenery that highlight different aspects of the nature-mental well-being connection. Sensory pathways are also created within the exhibition through calming forest scents amid the sight of towering trees and the sounds of gentle water flowing, to encourage mindful breathing and relaxation.

In collaboration with Hortherapeutics

OH! Kampong Gelam: Palimpsest

2024

OH! Kampong Gelam: Palimpsest (2024) by OH! Open House is a guided art walk that explores how maps have constantly rewritten the story of Kampong Gelam, also known as Singapore’s Muslim Quarter. Prior to colonisation by the British in 1819, the area was home to the Malay aristocracy of Singapore. 12 site-specific art installations leads visitors to understand and unearth stories within this neighbourhood.

Lines and boundaries, scraped and scratched into the surface over and over, until they blend into a palimpsest of fickle lines and faithless memories. For each road drawn, each building gazetted, each heritage plaque erected, there is a missing story that speaks of fractured spaces and communities long gone. This neighbourhood still holds its scars, scrapes and scratches, its dreams and tragedies.

The visual identity we've designed for this art walk centres around the concept of 'palimpsest', defined as something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form. The 'patchwork map' visuals draws references from the historical context of this neighbourhood, how maps, plans and blueprints have remade this place again and again, in spite of, and against the lived experiences of the community.

Along the road of Sultan Gate sites the ruins of Pondok Jawa, a former lodging house for the Javanese in Kampong Gelam. That was also the previous site of the famous Banyan tree, a community landmark which has since fallen. We've incorporated the cross section of a tree as a platform for storytelling, personifying the unfolding of the hidden narratives of these contested spaces and displaced communities. The visual language is applied across all key channels such as the field-kit, digital communication materials and way-finding prints.