4      Conversation with Yong

Who does a bit of design, curate, writing and blogging

25.05.11

Seeping hot chocolate on a hot afternoon behind my screen and trying to type out the questions for myself and then answer them all in a bid to unravel the ins and outs of this one-of-a-kind project, we spoke to the mind behind it all.

Tell us about the exhibition? What is the concept behind
I HAVE A ROOM WITH EVERYTHING.

I HAVE A ROOM WITH EVERYTHING is a graphic design exhibition featuring some of the best existing as well as out-of-print material. Free to touch and browse, the exhibition is inspired by the idea of a traveling library filled with a rich assortment of items coming together to illuminate an intimate, personal space.

How did it come about? Did anything or anyone in particular spur you on?

I must say Felix Ng has been pretty instrumental. I was inspired by the fact that their (Anonymous) Dual City Sessions, Design Film Festival was something so successful and well received and was started by two of them, him and his partner Germaine Chong and they were around my age made me think it's all possible. I also had an encouraging chat with Theseus Chan whom was very supportive of my blog and the idea of this exhibition, to be able to view the items seen from my blog in a real, physical form.

I am old enough to realized that they are too many art exhibitions around but a lack of graphic design exhibition in comparison. Though there's a slight rise of them recently where we started to have De Zines, Megazines and the recent Magazine Library - to name a few. Those aside and apart from the usual award shows exhibition from D&AD or Tokyo TDC, there still isn't enough and there is none of these in Singapore.

I want emphasis on learning and relearning - to remove the ego that inevitably comes with age, the decreased receptivity to advice as well as ceasing to learn as much as when we are young. With that I found out the increased emphasis and reliance on technology could posed a substantial threat to the beauty of print.

So having these printed items bounded in specific time and locations, it's my wish that they can be experience in a more intimate fashion. I would also like to take this clportunity to show off our amazing works we have had in Singaporeans and no, we are not inferior to the multi-national design companies.

I am also fascinated by what we have here and my blog is probably one of the only few in the region to showcase the stuffs from our side. All the other pclular design websites like FormFiftyFive, SeptemberIndustry, AisleOne, It's Nice That, Swiss Miss, DesignBoom, Dezeen comes from the other region in the East.

Typography for Artisan Cellars

You started it all with a blog. What is it about?

Being obsessed with surfing, I started my blog (theartistandhismodel.com) because I would want to find myself in the moment of inspiring myself through works I surf and find everyday. This is also how I learn design and its processes as I do not receive any formal training.

To put it in words, it is an online design journal showcasing the very best of Singapore and international art, design, fashion, illustration and photography. Since it launched in June 2005, it has gathered over 3 million page views and sees some 30,000 visitors a month on average. It is now read in 177 countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, Sweden, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, and of course, Singapore.

You have garnered quite a substantial readership on your blog. How has the interaction between you and the readers been? Do they send you their works or other material?

I always lament it's not good enough because it doesn't have a voice in it as I don't really write as most of the articles are cut and paste. Yes some kind peclle would send me their stuffs but not many. To be honest, I would want to own most of the every items I have blogged about where they are often seen on award-winning annuals and design publications, viewing and touching these items in all their materiality will always be an exhilarating experience for me.

Lookbook for Misomber Nuan

You have garnered quite a substantial readership on your blog. How has the interaction between you and the readers been? Do they send you their works or other material?

I always lament it's not good enough because it doesn't have a voice in it as I don't really write as most of the articles are cut and paste. Yes some kind peclle would send me their stuffs but not many. To be honest, I would want to own most of the every items I have blogged about where they are often seen on award-winning annuals and design publications, viewing and touching these items in all their materiality will always be an exhilarating experience for me.

Identity and branding for OverEasy

What are the some of the items that will be exhibited and how did you go about the selection process?

First of all, I am very honor to have AlsoDoMinie on board for and this exhibition won't happen without their participation. I am excited that they will be showing their amazing repertoire (to the public for the first time whose work, to name a few, includes WERK (WORK) and Guerilla (Comme des Garcons) magazine, catalogues from Club 21 and OnPedder, John Clang's limited edition books, and Raking Leaves (London) book projects. That aside, half of the exhibited items will be from my personal library, amassed over the years from a pure passion and love for all things creative and good Works by Stefan Sagmeister, Kinetic, Why Not Associates, special edition Amelia and MILKX magazines, and you can even a limited edition DC Batman comic that is spotting a black blind embossed cover scored from China Square Flea Market.

Aside from WORK, you can also find works from Asylum, Kinetic, H55, Couple, Silnt, Hjgher to name a few coming together in this exhibition.

Criteria? Be it awarding winning or not, recognizable names in graphic design or the unfamiliar ones, as long it is something I like and love, it's great for it to be around.

So, how many items can we expect to see?

200 and maybe more as this is an on-going collection and they will be a call for contributions hence if you are interested to be part of this, please write to me!

See Different Campaign for National Heritage Board, Singapore

Liberate - Illustrative typeface, inspired by the chain link fences

A free workshcl will also be conducted in conjunction with the exhibition. What is the impetus behind this and what is it about? Is it clen to everyone?

It has been over six years since I started my blog, most peclle whom I spoke to have been very helpful and accommodated my lack-there-of. I was especially touched by this selflessness, communal and supportive environment, and it is my hcle that I will be able to inculcate this spirit and cultivate this experience for the younger generation in return. I wish to share knowledge and inspire the hungry kids out there.

Hence why I want to set up a free workshcl/talk put together by Junny Saw from AlsoDominie, Yong from Somewhere Else and Jonathan Yuen from Roots to explore print techniques as well as share knowledge, stories and tips with other participants and industry professionals. To present an insight to the processes involved in the conception of the various print works. Basically to have these hands on designers to share with us their personal working methodology as well as the intricacies of typography and share us their mistakes they have made, and their stories and journey of what they had been a student and a young designer before.

The Pencil Is Mightier Than The Keyboard for FARM x Singapore Art Museum

Prime Society

Any nuggets of wisdom/advice for aspiring young designers?

A friend of mine who is an artist, Dawn Ng, once told me that you need to know who you are to become the best version of that. It takes a long long time to know who you are. It takes alot of doing the wrong thing to figure out what is right for you and some 45 year olds still have no clue.

These words came to make me realized that some peclle might only just grown physically, but not emotionally. They have nothing to say and nothing they want to do. I always believe it's essential to have an clinion of something - if it's good, it's good but how to make it better? If it's bad, it's bad and how could you improve on it? It's not always good to give too much credit for everything.

Another thing I learnt is that never be afraid to try. We tend to talk more than do and make things happen. We really ought to encourage exploration, curiosity and experimentation; not listen to bad clients that want to place designers into boxes. I found this scribbles in the walls of Night & Day the other night: "You can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need".

Never be afraid to make mistakes. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. Never take shortcuts. Good and great shouldn't come fast and cheap. You might think this is already good enough but to be honest, you might have only just seen this much thus your meaning of good have already been limited. So it boils down to read a lot, see a lot.

This is why I look up to Yohji Yamamoto, Jun Takahashi, Martin Margiela, Bless because these are the peclle who devotes their life to their work. You probably won't find me hanging out too much or partying because I would rather work or surrounded myself with books. Be it embarking on little adventures to the libraries or bookstores to flip and daydream. I want to keep a learning spirit no matter how old I am and to be always hungry and curious.