The Arts House (in Singapore) celebrated her 8th anniversary with a festival in praise of proverbs and in conjunction with the event, a competition for a book cover was created. Proverbs present a unique glimpse into the cultures and languages of the world, capturing worldviews and attitudes in a witty manner. On June 5, 2012, I was informed that my entry for The Singapore Proverbs Book Cover Competition was selected as a winner. As the winner, my entry was featured on the cover of the book when it was launched on July 20, 2013 at the Living Room, Arts House in the Old Parliament building in Singapore which is now a multidisciplinary arts venue that hosts art exhibitions and concerts. The Singapore Proverbs Project has collected over 1000 proverbs from the four main languages (English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil) and various Chinese dialects such as Hakka, Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew. Unfortunately, only 200 proverbs were translated into English and featured in the book as some original proverbs didn't translate well into English. The Singapore Proverbs Project aims to document and chronicle Singapore's heritage through its proverbs in a multitude of languages.
It was truly an honor to address the Typography Day 2013 conference at the Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) from March 7 - 9, 2013 as a keynote speaker on the opening day. The title of my topic was "Universality - how display typography transcends boundaries to communicate visually without the hassle of understanding a specific language." On the first day, participants rolled up their sleeves for workshops followed by two days of conference that includes presentations of invited keynote speakers, eminent academicians, blind-juried papers, industries, research scholars and students. The program also hosted an exhibition of selected posters and Typographic works of students and faculty members from Design Institutes in India.
With a theme of display typography, visuals of signages, police cars, advertisements, with theoretical groundings of experience design with the focus on meaning by Nathan Shedroff was expounded. Such generalizations were meant way to generalize with objectives to expose the opportunities and ramifications of universality in display typography yet the focus is still on the aesthetical, demographical, geographical, as well as contextual and practical ramifications of expressive typography from different parts of the world. I also interacted with undergraduate, Masters' and PhD students who sought advise for not just their topics, students but also directions in life. It was as though I was a guru. The students are dedicated and super friendly and helpful while the delegates are warm and courteous. India has always been charming to me where I experience the rawness of life, vivid colors worn by its people, splendor in culture translated into historical buildings and palaces.
More here about the conference.
The Moscow Global Biennale of Graphic Design
Post Date : 2015-04-30
Oct 10, 2012, Moscow, Russia
My poster commemorating Dr Sun Yatsen's 100th year of the founding the Republic of China and Bob Marley's call to human kinship were selected by the organizing committee of the Moscow Global Biennale of Graphic Design. In addition to an agency's submission, my posters were the only personal academic work from Singapore selected for the biennale which took place at the House of Artists in Moscow Russia from October 9 to 14, 2012. A stringent per-selection committee combed through all participants' entries before being presented after an international committee such as David Carson (USA), Alain Le Quernec (France), Apex Lin Taiwan, ROC), Paula Troxler (Switzerland), Boris Trofimov (Russia), Istvan Orosz (Hungary), Ken Cato (Australia), and Majid Abbasi (Iran) for final selection.
Established in 1992, the Golden Bee collects the best world achievements in graphic design. Endorsed by the International Council of Graphic Design Associations ICOGRADA, the International Biennales Coordinating Committee IBCC and organized by the Academy of Graphic Design, Moscow design studios and many other organisations and companies, the Moscow Biennial promotes a deepening of international cooperation, increases the cultural status of graphic design, helps to escalate the creative level and spiritual potentials of the graphic design profession especially the development of modern visual culture. Eligibility for the biennale starts with an invitation of individual artists as well as groups of artists to submit an unlimited number of works to the competition in five different categories: Poster, graphic design and Music, stickers and any other innovative new media graphic design works) and Special projects.
Click here for visiting the organizer's site (in Russian and English).
The Mysterious Emblems of Gragodon Part I book launch
Post Date : 2015-04-30
Oct 24, 2011, Singapore
As the designer of the cover, I joined author of The Mythical Emblems of Gragodon Part I, Mr. Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan, during his book launch at the Singapore Writers' Festival 2011 located at Singapore Management University on October 24, 2011. The project started a few months back but it took a while for the publisher to clear the bureaucratic red tapes as the book would be supported by the National Arts Council of Singapore. From start to finish, the book cover design was completed in a week on October 10, 2011. I finally got the green light on Sept 27 and the initial idea was to use drawing because it is a mythical land based on imagination. Due to the delay, the publisher decided to use stock photos from dreamstime.com but some "creative" touchup had to be done to customize the design further.
The author shared with the audience the sources of his inspiration of his manuscript which took years to finish and with over 170,000 words and more coming, he revealed that Part II has been completed and he was in the final stage of Part III, the finale.
When it came my turn of the presentation, I shared how the design process was broken into two parts:
Part 1: Problem-solving process
Sketches were drawn. The objectives of the book were determined for a strategy to be developed. The purpose and the type of audience for this genre of book and where it will be sold were also considered in the initial process of designing. Considering that the book is only the 1st part in a series of three, the chosen graphics has to be expandable to ensure that future versions will bear elements of consistency. Moreover, the image has to be big enough to wrap around to the entire back.
The cover is the most important aspect as it is the window into the gist of the story. It must sell! Reader must be intrigued to pick it up. I decided to intrigue them by revealing without showing much. Hence, the torn pages effect where the emblems were partially shown.
Part 2: Form generation
Due to the delay, I decided that customizations are necessary. After sifting through many images, two images were identified and merged into one. Additions of personalized touches such as the emblems and the torn papyrus on the cover were necessary. The torn paper on the cover was inspired by me idling not knowing what to do. The A-ha moment happened as I was idling and tearing up sheets of paper. The author liked the idea and it was implemented on the back which stretched like a panoramic scene.
The selection of photos in was inspired by Hell's Half Acre in Wyoming where the movie Starship Troopers was filmed in 1997. It was the backdrop for the alien planet Klendathu inhabited by gargantuan, vicious, fighting war bugs. To those who haven't heard of or experienced Hell's Half Acre, the name would suggest a small parcel of land, but in fact the "half acre" encompasses more than 300 acres in the middle of the Wyoming prairie, flanked by mountains and valleys. It was naturally sculpted into nightmarish chaos with jagged rock spires. I discussed how the elements of design such as line, shape, color, texture and format as well as principles such as balance unity, visual hierarchy and figure/ground were considered and employed.
Sharing Plates
Post Date : 2015-04-30
Apr 4, 2011, Singapore
Documented with meticulous care, Sharing Plates is a collection of heartwarming anecdotes and recipes from the cancer community to the cancer community. The cookbook is the collective effort of six final year students from NTU's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. The initiative that was set up eight months ago in August 2010.
Co-supervised with colleague Dr Angela Mak, the final year project garnered quite a bit of attention of the media as it was the first time a research-based but yet practical student project managed to link academia and the cancer community in Singapore in a meaningful way by means of a heartfelt recipe book. Organized by the library of Nanyang Technological University, featuring for the first time a public lecture showing work done by a group of undergraduate students, the historical event took place at Monday, 4 April 2011 from 1:00pm-2:30pm at Lecture Theater 22, South Spine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Attendees sampled some of the dishes from the book set up outside the lecture theater.
We were busy in autographing the books as attendees were also snatching up the much affordable S$15 book with over 40 easy to produce cancer-friendly recipes. Professor Jan Carlstedt-Duke, Project Director, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and Dr Wong Nan Soon, Public & Patient Education Director were the guest of honors.
AAS's 55th Anniversary
Post Date : 2015-04-30
Nov 6, 2010, Singapore
As the concept designer of Australian Alumni Singapore's Commemorative Souvenir Book for their 55th Anniversary Celebration, I was honored to be invited as a VIP guest which took place on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at the Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel. AAS, the Australian Alumni of Singapore, is a non-profit organization that aims to promote friendship and goodwill among the various graduates from the different Australian tertiary and professional institutions. AAS was established in 1955 by a group of returned graduates from Australia. The title of the commemorative souvenir book is "Reaching New Heights" to reflect the association's new vision to be more inclusive by adding corporate sponsors as well as their mission to reach out to younger audience. Motives from Australian aboriginal arts were incorporated into the layout design.
At the event, I, together with many Australian alumni, Guest-of-honor Dr Ng Eng Hen (Minister for Eduction & 2nd Minister for Defense), the High Commissioner of Australia H.E. Mr Doug Chester witnessed the unveiling of the commemorative book, the association's new website as well as the presentation of the AAS Distinguished Alumnus Award 2010. We were served an 8-Course Chinese Set Dinner Menu. It had been a while since I wore a lounge suit and I didn't stay around until the end of the formal party as I felt the tie tightening on my neck as the night prolonged. It was definitely a place where old friends rekindled old stories.
To view the design of the book, visit: http://www.yeoh.com/index2.php?section=design&g=911
Collaboraton with Oak3Film
Post Date : 2015-04-30
May 8, 2010, Singapore
In October 2007, Chuo Zhenglong duped the Chinese authorities into believing that the picture he took of a rare southern Chinese tiger was real. The peasant has a vested interest in the case as he has received monetary rewards. The photograph was hyped by the Shaanxi Forestry Department, which has a vested interest in making a name at preserving rare tiger. The photograph was fake.
Working with a local film company in Singapore, Oak3Film and two French producers for Channel 5, a TV station in France, the film is part of 6 series of Asian animals facing extinction in Asia, we investigated how something plausible is actually a fake. Through discussions of lighting, logic, and techniques, together with a student, we debunked some pictures once believed to be real of a rare tiger in southern China.
Although a Mac lab at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information was recognized, we switched to filming in my office due to suitability in art direction. It was quite a thrill to work with professionals as we had to call the maintenance office multiple times to turn on and off the air conditioner due to the sensitivity of the microphone. The filming started at 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 8, 2010 and lasted till 2 PM. The film is scheduled to be released in France in August, 2010. I cannot wait for a copy to see if I've put on 10 pounds on TV.
Images by Anna Karenina Tolentino
One Voice Conference
Post Date : 2015-04-30
Jul 9, 2008, San Francisco, California, USA
One Voice: International Conference and Forum for Educators was a very unusual international gathering in San Francisco from the 5th to 9th July 2008 was designed to act as a megaphone amplifying the voices of the true experts in the field, the educators, for positive change. I presented my paper titled "Deciphering creativity: A potential transformation in art and design classrooms in Singapore. The organizer wanted to get our opinions on the state of education in today's society and my views were heard on 1:05 , 3:52 and 8:46. Scroll away..." Click here for One Voice.
YEOH'S JOURNAL
Read about things that interest me, matters that I care about, pictures and observations from my trips and stuff that I bother to share with the world.
