This is an art project that delves into the special relationship between the windows and the communal spaces around Little India.

The intention is to portray different types of shophouse windows from the past to the present. To do this, part of the wall will be coloured, another will be black and white while the remaining will be sepia.

I am proposing a mural consisting of a clash of modern and postmodern environments. The painting will consist of the different types of windows/shophouses juxtaposed against one another creating a stack of interesting composition.

The phoenix is a decorative and auspicious motif used by the Peranakans.

The phoenix also symbolises rebirth and regeneration in western traditions. It represents the continuation of life in flames of change, the continuation of living live during this pandemic, and the importance of taking it easy and to not give up, in the hopes that, when it does end, we will be stronger.

A group of stray cats walking towards the viewer just proud to be able to wander the streets without any sort of fear or judgement. A bunch of old friends going forward unconcerned about all of the uncertainties of the past two years.

Painted with daring colour combinations directly inspired by Peranakan ceramics to fit the style of the neighbourhood and heritage shophouses.

Birds in general are widely seen as symbols of freedom and eternity due to their ability to soar high into the skies. We also tend to associate birds with infinite possibilities & renewal going into the uncertain future with positivity. Another symbol of freedom that acts as a contrast around the main focus are magical looking flowers that resemble a flock of vibrant tropical birds taking flight. The bird of paradise (the single bird represents us all living in the garden city.)

I remember as a child, my parents taking me to little india to visit the parrot astrologer. I was usually clueless to what the astrologer was saying, because I barely spoke Tamil, let alone complex Sanskrit terms that encompass the universe and my place in it. I was always excited though, because it meant I could pet the parrot while the astrologer spoke to my parents. The concept for this mural explores the progression of Little India through the lens of astrology and the astrologers that once inhabited the many five foot ways of Little India. The mural is set in the aesthetics of a tarot spread, each with a depiction of Little India’s growth through the ages. The progression is exemplified through aesthetics. The mural reads from right to left in expansion. The utmost right illustrates the green ringneck parrot picking out cards on a person (most likely man) wearing the white dhoti and a shirt, with their forehead smeared with holy ash or vermilion, with traditional Indian motifs. The use of the Indian motifs reflects the history of Tamil astrologers catering to mainly immigrant indians. The progression of style in the cards is also a reflection of the popularity of this practice and thus became a widespread activity many indulged in, especially in times of uncertainty. The left of the mural will depict a flow of tarot reading towards a more contemporary outlook and design. This represents the accessibility of this practice, where artists and artisans continue this practice by reading tarot decks in the many cafes, bookstores and galleries around Little India.