To see again. To breathe deeply.
To taste the sweetness of freedom.
To hold close the ones we love.
To listen, always.
| pan. cha. in. dra |
Panca Indra in Bahasa refers to our five senses. In this collection, I present two batik mediums Gypsied has stayed true to over the years — the soulful hand drawn batik and laborious hand stamped batik.
This collection is inspired by our response to how 2020 has unfolded. Like everyone, as the pandemic heightened plans we had fell apart. Left with a skeleton of what once was and life transformed to one indoors, I realised how blasé I had become of my everyday. The world had kept going —at all costs— without disruption. Until now.
Everyday occurrences now held my attention more intensely than it used to; sights, smells, sounds, taste and touch. The skies had turned an incredible blue, one could acutely guess what was cooking on the neighbour's stove and the sound of crickets at night time became a melody. The act of coming back home to one's self is perhaps the most intimate undertaking one could have in this lifetime. Life coming to a halt was not the end, it was a beginning.
I have many people to thank for making this collection happen, even during the most impossible of times. To our artisan partners and tailors scattered all over the Indonesian archipelago in Yogyakarta, Solo, Bali and Jakarta for their art and bringing our designs to life.
To our creative team who risked coming together in phase two of Singapore's partial lock down to make magic for the camera. Your desire to continue creating beauty irregardless has been fuel for my inspiration.
Please enjoy our new collection, Panca indra — an ode to our five senses.
P.s. In these times of uncertainty, let's not forget about the people in our community who have fallen through the cracks. Please consider giving to the following organisations.
Helping & Empowering our Neighbours (HEN), helping low income and single parent families.
Homeless Hearts of Singapore, providing care for the homeless through physical and relational support.
Transient Workers Count Too, TWC2 extends help to low-wage migrant workers who have been injured, unpaid, or abused by employers.
The Food Bank Singapore, ending food insecurity in Singapore.
Mutual Aid & Community Solidarity, by WARES, facilitating a simple system to help connect individuals or groups of people in Singapore who have needs & offers for support.
