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The Tiles That Bind

An Australian artist discovers her Singaporean identity in her fascination with heritage tiles.

Tay Suan Chiang

Tay Suan Chiang

Published Thu, Oct 3, 2019 · 09:50 PM

    IN 2012, AUSTRALIAN artist Jennifer Lim moved to Singapore with her family, to learn more about her "other" side. Her father, a Singaporean, had moved to Australia when he was 25, to marry Ms Lim's Australian mum.

    A professional printmaker trained in Australia and Japan, Ms Lim first came across heritage tiles in shophouses near Emerald Hill. But she only started delving into it after attending the unexpected exhumation of her great-grandfather's grave later that year.

    "In the pouring rain at Bukit Brown Cemetery, I was surprised to some tombs with colourful floral ceramic tiles," says Ms Lim.

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