just rambling

William Lee: The Father of Singapore Logos

A 1971 photo of Mr William Lee at his River Valley flat-cum-studio

“A logo has to be international. It has to be understood in one look,” said graphic designer Mr William Lee in 1987 when asked what made up a good logo. By then the 45-year-old had already a portfolio full of logos, many that still remain in use today. Some of the logos he designed include that of the Post Office Savings Bank (1977),  the Singapore Bus Service (1978) logo, and the Citizen Consultative Committee (1986).

The logos of POSB, SBS and the CCC.

The graphic designer set up his own design house, Central Design, in the 1970s, and it was a firm synonymous with logo design in Singapore. Besides these three logos, Mr Lee is also said to have designed those of the Shangri-La Hotel, the Singapore Cultural Foundation, the Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association (SAFRA), the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research, and Overseas Union Bank, amongst others.

For his contributions, Mr Lee was awarded the Public Service Star in 1975.

If Mr Lee is alive today, he would be almost 70-years-old. Does anyone have any news about him? I would love to track him down for an interview.

Wish I Could Go For These…

Am up to the neck with work at the moment, but my inbox is filled with e-mailers of these really interesting events starting this coming weekend. Here’s a little plug for them and I hope I can find time to check them out!

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Causeway Exchange: The Lighter Side of Malaysia
26-31 August @ The Arts House

Sidenote: Catch 15Malaysia, a short film project by 15 Malaysian filmmakers. You can also view the entire project online here.

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6th Singapore Short Film Festival

28 Aug – 5 Sept @ The Substation Theatre

Sidenote: Nice poster and typeface! Done by Winnie Goh, the same graphic designer who did Substation’s 1st Experimental Film Forum held earlier this year. She also did the logo of the kid’s magazine that I work for and the editorial design for Ceriph.

Bridging the Disconnect with Design

Look 喜喜 by Ang Tze Qi and 玩: Traditional Chinese Games by Cheong Jia Qi

Old is gold, or so it seems, for this year’s visual communication graduates of the School of Arts, Design and Media (ADM) in the Nanyang Technological University. Most of their final-year projects on display at the ADM Grad Show 2010 were the re-packing of old traditions and cultures in new visual forms. Some of the subjects “re-designed” included Hakka culture, traditional Chinese games, Chinese wedding customs, Kimonos, the Chinese peony and Feng Shui.

Hakka Culture by Alvin Leu and Creation and Metamorphosis of Chinese Hanzi by Low Weining Kasxier

This popular choice amongst our young local designers of mining heritage for design seems to reflect a certain disconnect between our youth and the old in Singapore. The traditions and customs of yesteryear are seen as strange and inaccessible to today’s youth, and the response of these curious young designers is to redesign them. This is also a strategy employed by museums here, notably the National Museum of Singapore. Since its re-opening in 2006, the museum has employed graphic design to package history in edgy visuals to attract the younger generation. Some of that energy and approach must have rubbed off  this batch of graduates.

Interestingly, many of the works also centered around Chinese culture. The use of ‘trendy’ designs and English as the language of choice suggest that these projects are created for an English-speaking audience. Again, we see design being used to bridge another Singapore disconnect — that of the English-speaking graduate class and their curiosity with their ethnic culture. Here, we can also see ‘who’ graphic designers are in Singapore — mostly Chinese.

五行 by Lam Si Yun and 朋: What Makes a Friend by Wang Shi Hui

While, the youth may take a liking to how heritage has been repackaged for them in these forms, it’ll be interesting to see this collection of projects put to the older generation as well. Will they be able to comprehend these ‘edgy’ designs? And will they think that such repackaging has “consumerise” their cultures — a sell-out, perhaps?

Longevity by Low Lay Hiang

First Book: Divercity Singapore

Divercity Singapore: A cartoon history of immigration is a new book that tells the Singapore story through the people who have helped transform this island from a fishing community to a modern metropolis — immigrants. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to write and research this book with cartoonist Morgan Chua, and with the support of my publisher/editor Cherian George. It’s now available at most local bookstores for a retail price of S$10.90. Click here to find out more about the book!

Free Magazines From The Streets of Singapore

Out and about with nothing to read? Here’s five free reads you can pick up from shops, cafes, museums and libraries in Singapore.

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JUICE

This is the monthly guide to Singapore’s music and clubbing scene. Since it launched in 1998, JUICE has become an institution of local free street magazines. Each issue features news, reviews, and interviews with local and international musicians. There’s also a fashion spread. But, the perennial favourite has to be the ‘Scene’ section where you can check out who’s been out partying all night! Since June this year, JUICE has also published a special edition for sale at $4 that features extra content and exclusive promotions and offers.

WHERE TO FIND IT
Fashion stores, cafes and restaurants.

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I-S Magazine

The granddaddy of free street magazines in Singapore. I-S is a weekly that  covers the entertainment and lifestyle scene in Singapore and has been around since 1995. The latest issue comes out every Friday, and is packed with listings of the latest exhibitions, art events, films and theatre productions. There is also a guide on where to eat and party. The soul of the magazine, however, is its features stories and interviews that sometimes cover the most current controversial issues with a cheeky touch. Another favourite is its OB Index, which charts the state of freedom of expression here Where do they get their sense of humour? The answer could be found it the advertisements of its classifieds section.

WHERE TO FIND IT
Most fashion stores, cafes and restaurants.

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BeMUSE

Who says free stuff can’t come without puff? BeMUSE is a quarterly magazine started in 2007 that celebrates heritage (No, not a puff word for history!) with photos and essays about the latest museum exhibitions. It is published by Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB), which explains why its articles feature exhibitions from its museums. However, this is more than just a beautifully designed public relations guide  – many of the articles are written by the exhibition curators themselves making it almost like attending a curator’s tour!

WHERE TO FIND IT
Museums and hotels.

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Kult Magazine

Here’s one for those who don’t like to read: Kult is a quarterly that uses visual arts to explore social issues. Each issue, by the similarly named creative agency, features works from illustrators from all over the world and it has so far covered the themes of truth, artificiality and AIDS. Since the magazine started in 2009, Kult has challenged the notion of magazines by not only having a printed form but also adapting its content to fit an 80’s arcade machine and an interactive online edition. Read my earlier review here.

WHERE TO FIND IT
Design schools and cafes in town.

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BiblioAsia

For Singapore history buffs, this one’s for you. This is a quarterly journal of academic articles written by the librarians and the research fellows of the National Library Board. Since it started in 2005, BiblioAsia has published articles on lesser known topics of Singapore’s history — physical education, children literature, Malay scripts — making it an excellent resource for budding researchers. The articles also come with references that you can follow-up on at the library.

WHERE TO FIND IT
National Libraries