It's one thing to be a two-time President’s Design Award recipient but to be in the design biz for two decades and counting? And still stay relevant? *low whistle* Now that takes the cake.
But its Larry Peh's 20 years of operating &Larry, his design agency, and to celebrate the milestone, Peh will have his cake and he will dig into it, thank you very much. In his own fashion, Peh put together an exhibition tracing 20 years of his own cultural commentary and design experimentations. Called XX&L, 20 Years of Tom, Dick &Larry, the exposition digs deep into Peh's archive to display objects borne from collaboration with clients and friends. From Peh's first design work for a plastic bag manufacturer to incorporating the "Danger-Keep Out" construction sign in Bynd Artisan's leather goods to Peh's defunct fashion label, Faculty, visitors will get a glimpse into Peh's creative practice that is moulded by pushing the envelope as far as the Powers That Be would allow for.
Here are five artefacts from XX&L, 20 Years of Tom, Dick &Larry that caught our fancy.
As Larry Peh told us, the idea came to him at a coffee shop, where he was hit with the noxious fumes of secondhand cigarette smoke from a patron at another table. But before Peh could voice his displeasure, he noticed that the smoker was seated in the "yellow confines of [a] smoking zone". Technically, the smoker toed the line but Peh was still affected nonetheless.
This led him to add a yellow demarcation on part of his dining room table and chair. While meant to evoke thought and conversation, we asked if any of his guests took up the chance to smoke in the "designated smoking zone". Sheepishly, Peh replied that only one lit up.
Peh takes on the Hermès Birkin. Seeking to make the iconic carrier more pragmatic for Singaporeans, Peh worked with local leathersmith Hughes Low from Hughes Handcrafted to add a shoulder strap (that's made out of the same vintage Ardennes leather as the Birkin).
Referred to as a premium "diaper bag" that is "designed to literally babysit your Birkin", its name hints to Hermès' Haut à Courroies line and "sac" is “bag” in French or for “baby". Finally, users can go handsfree and take care of pressing business.
(Aik Beng Chia shot the images while demonstrating the HAC À SAC's capabilities.)
"Red tape" is often the buzzword when it comes to creativity in Singapore. While there are OB marker abound, Peh thinks that perspective could lead to the "easy dismissal of potentially great ideas". Thus, "Anything But Red", where he stacks rolls of adhesive and industrial tape of all sizes and colours (except for red) onto the lamp pole all the way up to the bulb à la the "bright idea".
If a musician becomes deaf, can he still continue to create music? That's the question posed about whether art comes from the artist or their tools. Roping in veteran illustrator Michael Ng aka Mindflyer, Peh blindfolded him and ask him to draw what he saw in his mind. The result is a work that is a product of instinct, memory and muscle recall; demonstrating that creativity can still flourish regardless of its usual tools.
It's one of those things that you've come across so often that it never occured to you that the design didn't suddenly appear ex nihilo—someone had to create them. Such is the case of the ubiquitous fish graphic you see on many plastic bags in Singapore.
Peh tells us that this was his first commissioned design project (see left image) before the company erased the Chinese characters and kept the fish.
XX&L, 20 Years of Tom, Dick &Larry is held at Objectifs Chapel Gallery and will run until 11 January. Entry is free and there are also merch and opportunities to bid for some of the sculptures at the exhibit.
