Beyond the Tiger Cage is a social commentary highlighting the racial tension towards the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia and inspired by the walls we build as a result of these racial attacks.
Research / conceptualisation
Furniture design / prototyping
Racial tension between the ethnic Chinese and Indonesians has been prevalent in Indonesia, yet a topic not often touched upon for its controversy and fragility.
Hoping to highlight this issue, Beyond the Tiger Cage is a social commentary inspired by the walls in Indonesia: social segregation and its physical manifestation — the gates called the 'tiger cage'. The tiger cages are cage-like gates constructed often over the front terrace of Chinese shophouses, which rose in trend in 1998 when racial attacks were at peak.
Though the tiger cages dotted around the city are a reminder of the times of chaos and insecurity, they are more commonly viewed as a norm in the urbanscape. This project draws parallels between highlighting the overlooked tiger cage and bringing to light the issue of social segregation.
Though the tiger cages dotted around the city are a reminder of the times of chaos and insecurity, they are more commonly viewed as a norm in the urbanscape. This project draws parallels between highlighting the overlooked tiger cage and bringing to light the issue of social segregation.
Settling on a communal bench — a product usually associated with congregation and interaction, the bench is designed in such a way to allow two groups of individuals facing opposing directions to connect and communicate with one another over the deliberate lower segregation in the middle.
Mild steel and beech wood
Finished with black powder coat (steel) and beeswax (wood)
