Island Living
H122xW70cm
Acrylic Painting, Silkscreen Printing, Batik Fabric Applique & Stitchwork on Canvas
The Shophouse artwork is reflective of Singapore culture and heritage. Shophouse buildings can be found all over the island. These stately buildings are a wonderful expression of the blending of a work and living space. Shophouse ornamentation draws inspiration from Malay, Chinese, European and Peranakan traditions. Painting the facade pastel colours became popular in the mid 20th century, and these colours have remained strongly associated with the image of the Singaporean Shophouse.
This artwork contains motifs inspired by Chinese culture and heritage such as the double happiness fish, Chinese New Year paper cut-outs, blue and white Ming porcelain, dragons and longevity symbols.
The photograph used in this artwork of a row of well-preserved Peranakan Shophouses was taken at Koon Seng Road, Joo Chiat, Singapore.