My interest in the Peranakan tiles of old shophouses in Singapore have been piqued for quite a few years now. These tiles usually have floral motifs that work well with the geometrical symmetry of tile decorations.
I have always wondered at the back of my mind about using the features of these floral tiles as part of my artwork. Rather than a straightforward cataloging of the tiles, I asked myself what would it look like if the boundaries between the floral themed tiles and actual flowers are blurred?
This series “Tiled Flora” is the result of that question.
Along the way, while making the various pieces in this series, it occurred to me that the most interesting parts of the pieces is the margins at which the floral patterns of the ties meet the real flora.