Coming Home, 2023
Mixed media installation
Commissioned by The Peranakan Museum
Inspired by the tension between tradition and modernity in Peranakan culture, Coming Home is a body of work based on the artist's search for their cultural identity. Retracing steps through research and creation, the work serves as a homecoming to welcome and celebrate the lives of generations of Peranakans, both near and far, in an effort to evoke feelings of pride and unity in the community.
A total of hand painted 9 lanterns and the ornate truss from which these were hung and displayed were created. From the 9 lanterns, 8 of them were constructed out of basket weave bamboo and the last out of wood to resemble the Ting Kong lantern. The numbers were intentionally chosen because they were auspicious.
In the search for traditionally made Peranakan lanterns that utilised the bamboo strip method for construction, I found that most of these makers were no longer in this dying trade (possibly due to covid as well), or sourced their lanterns from e-commerce websites. As a result, I sought basket weave makers who made these lanterns by hand, which also added to the narrative of this dying trade and the struggle between tradition and modernity.
Each lantern symbolises an aspect of Peranakan culture and their roots- 'Voyage', 'Cuisine', 'Pastimes', 'Traditions', 'Crafts', 'Architecture', 'Language', 'Betel' and 'Beliefs'. From playing marbles and cheki to chewing betel leaves, travelling across the straits, the colonial past and vibrant multi-cultural cuisine and art, the works highlight the different cultural influences and celebrate the lives of the Peranakans.
