Architect turned artist Pamela Tan gets candid about her design process

Since then, she has gone on to make more headlines, namely with Endless Frames, an installation at Chinatown's Kwai Chai Hong for the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022, and the golden stairway of Sunnyside Up at Pasar Seni MRT station. Reflecting on her projects, Tan, who is 32, feels blessed by the attention Eden had brought her.

“I'm still surprised by the clients I get to work with right now. Back when I was in the architecture bubble, you only worked with developers. Since then, I had worked with Niko Neko Matcha to design a trophy for a coffee championship. I had worked with Thomson Hospital [to create an iridescent chandelier inspired by butterfly wings for its lobby]. [Eden] has expanded my world," she says.

It was in London, where she pursued her master's in architecture, that she discovered her artistic side. “The way they taught architecture was very diverse. We were required to look at literature, art... They pushed us to look at different areas. And many of the architects there also designed bridges, buses, jewellery, carpets. Some of them did art and installations, so it made me think, ‘Oh yeah, why not?’.”

Architecture, at the end of the day, is about the people and their experiences. ‘‘It’s connected to culture and placemaking. So that’s where the common ground [with art] is.”

Although she has come to be known for her skeletal artworks, she claims that it wasn't intentional. “I always try to surprise myself but every time I express myself, it's always in the form of a bone structure. I like how it is lyrical yet expresses strength. I like to discover what is hidden, its roots, its foundation.”

The process of elimination and leaving only the outline “feels very organic. Everyone sees a cup as a whole thing. But if you just highlight the outline, you see an interesting detail. I like doing that, eliminate everything else and just focus on the details.”

Eden is currently part of the Wavelength: A Momentary Spring exhibition in Times Art Museum in Beijing. Tan is one of 13 featured artists, and she is the only Malaysian. As excited as she is that her work is now traversing across borders, Tan is enthused about the different opportunities she has been getting locally.

For instance, her work for public rail company MRT. Created to kickstart Think City's Arts on the Move programme for 2023, Sunnyside Up used transparent acrylic in yellow to illuminate a mundane flight of stairs. "I wanted to bring something joyful and immersive to the space," Tan explains. “Yellow is a joyful colour. I wanted something bright to give [commuters] a little break from the stress of everyday life.”

Flanked by two escalators, the staircase is often eschewed for the convenience of the former, making it rather redundant, as Tan points out. But thanks to the vibrancy of Sunnyside Up, one can't help but want to engage with the space—in this case, climb the stairs and take a few selfies. 

“Even in architecture, we look at placemaking and how that affects our cultural context. It’s not just about making sure it looks good but also how it makes people feel. You have to understand the context first and see how you can add new meaning to it," Tan says. 

Tan is currently working on a few projects including a sculptural centrepiece for Kapten Batik's store in Penang, which is being designed by interior designer Matthew Lim. “The whole ID looks like a resort so I designed a palm tree with hangers that look like kampung houses and wood cutouts that also allow for the hanging of fabrics.”

Don't miss: 3 Malaysian architects' most iconic works from their portfolios

As an artist, Tan puts a lot of faith in her process. “You have to trust the process. You have to trust in the accidents during the experimentation. Accidents sometimes create unique outcomes. I don't always know what the end product is.”

Part of this process also involves learning more about the people she works with, which she not only enjoys but also believes help her grow as an artist. “I like talking to them. I would ask for their opinions, find out about their profession and their interests. That’s how I learn things,” she says. 

She loves working with metal, her favourite material. “They are sturdier and long-lasting,” she quips. “I hope to work with stones one day." She also expresses her intention to revisit soil, which she explored for her master's thesis.

Her favourite artwork so far is Tatu, a single room installation at Muzium Telekom, Kuala Lumpur, in 2022. “The installation bathes visitors in an array of intricate motifs of light and shadow, evoking scenes of the wayang kulit. It's special to me because I created this during the election season. I wanted the work to represent the diversity of the Malaysian community and all people. It served as a reminder that it is only through embracing our differences that we can survive times of conflict," she says.

NOW READ

Asia’s best-known architectural photographers share their favourite shots

5 hotels that nail Wes Anderson’s aesthetic

A warm minimalist home in Selangor, Malaysia