Leaving a mark on history with Batik

Street Interview Section Reported by Zheng Zhi Hao

zhteo@sph.com.sg

Leaving a mark on history with Batik

Richard Tan Song Qing proudly showing us his Batik Collections as he attends to enquiries from

curious tourists, and enthusiastically talks about his creative ideas and personal journey behind his Batik-inspired artworks. (Photo taken by Zheng Zhi Hao)

73-year-old real estate agent Richard Tan Song Qing, has always had a soft spot for Batik. For the

past 30 years, he has been devoted to creating unique art pieces with Nanyang characteristics using seemingly ordinary objects in his daily life as inspiration. While promoting Nanyang culture, he also hopes to preserve and pass on historical memories.

As a real estate agent, Richard was so passionate about Batik that he prefers spending time

engrossing in this cultural totem over focusing on his career. “Art creation doesn’t make much

money, and investing with a lot of capital doesn’t necessarily guarantee a return, but I have this

stubborn personality in me. I can forget about sleeping and eating when it comes to doing what I

love.”

My acquaintance with Richard began with an accidental incident in a public housing estate. While his neighbours were discussing the unfortunate event, he was engrossed in a pile of Batik

samples, completely oblivious about everything else. It was only upon asking Richard that I know he was planning to make a comeback, and he had to complete his work within a two-month timeframe.

“As we enter the year of the Rabbit in 2023, Richard was planning to roll out his latest creation – a

12 zodiac-themed thermos cup collection which features traditional ink paintings. Each of these

designs is surrounded by a strip of beautiful Batik design, complete with an English fortune

description that allows allow tourists to fully understand the meaning of the Chinese zodiac”

Richard advocates the “craftsman spirit” and enjoys carefully crafting each piece, striving for perfection and continuous improvement. In addition to the thermos cup, he has also created other Batik collections that range from paintings, handkerchiefs, and wine jugs, as well as a water bottle with various local coffee names written on it. The painting collections mostly feature illustrations by local artists.

His creations are currently being showcased and sold in souvenir shops and exhibition halls, and he plans to expand his reach to hotel souvenir shops in the near future.

“It’s not easy to venture out, and the three-year pandemic has caused businesses in various

industries to suffer, especially young artists. Collaboration is always more efficient, and it also

contributes to the advancement of the arts industry.”

SG65

A Gift Like No Other

Perfect for tourists as a memento

or for Singaporean to show your local pride

Curated with love