Yeo, Jesvin A Collection of Singapore’s Fading Traditional Crafts and Trades, 2021

32 pages accordion style using construction paper (external: 120gsm / internal: 200gsm); 3mm hard board; 3D embossing; foil printing (cover). The trade of traditional crafts once enlivened old Singapore’s social and economic fields. When our ancestors came to Singapore from the south-eastern coast of China in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi, and the Indian subcontinent, Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and Puducherry during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, they brought along their values as well as their livelihoods. These livelihoods include various forms of traditional crafts, including songkok, Indian jewelry, and paper dragon boats, which have largely enriched Singapore’s rich cultural heritage.
 
The book documents 28 traditional craft trades in Singapore. Many of these invaluable trades have vanished or will vanish in the next 20 years. Nevertheless, some of these traditional trades, such as rattan weaving, textile dyeing, and candle making, have laid the foundation for the rise of modern craftsmen. Several traditional tradespeople have adapted and upgraded their crafts and businesses with the help of new technologies, such as laser engraving techniques for wood carving and blade-sharpening machines for improving grinding quality. Traditional crafts and trades have slowly dwindled in modern Singapore due to the radically shifting cultural scene. However, with the craftsperson’ continued ingenuity and perseverance, the crafts trade will continue to evolve and survive regardless of the changing landscape.
 
The book is fully embossed to signify the vanishing of Singapore’s traditional trades and crafts. Only we humans can help conserve, support, and bring attention to the significance of this intangible cultural heritage of Singapore. A pastel chalk is included with the book for the readers to shade the pages and discover the lost art by our ancestors.
 
The book's production took 2.5 years to complete due to the complexity of the 3D embossed plates' making and the lockdown during the pandemic. 

Edition of 300 copies.