“Many coming together is strength. That’s what ASEAN represents.”
The people of South East Asia, especially those that live in the villages, commonly uses wooden sticks and wire to build their house. They build the structure from assembling the sticks that are then tied together with wire.
Ang Yian Sann, a Singaporean designer who works both in Vietnam and Singapore, as part of the South East Asian people himself, sees that course of action as a representative of Asians themselves. “Many coming together is strength, that’s what ASEAN represents,” he thinks. He then adaptates that concept into his own work titled Asean Coffee Table, using glass and wood from window panels of traditional Vietnamese houses as the material. For the table support, he assembles wooden sticks that are tied together with wire.
This coffee table is a form of expression from Ang Yian Sann regarding the statements from international observers that concludes that ASEAN is an organization that “talkes big, but takes little action”
“It is just a mere “coffee-table” organization, rather than “round table” institution that can effect change. In my creation, while the object has an intended function of a coffee-table, its alternative function is also a socio-political art commentary about freedom of expression“.
The Asean Coffee Table is full of meaning, and at the same time, represents art and design. Without loosing it’s freedom of expression, but also fulfilling it’s function as a design.
“I believe, art and design do not necessary have to serve its singular intended function, but dual functions in our time because Southeast Asian is yet to be transformed its culture and heritage where traditions and modernity co-exist.” (Ang Yian Sann)
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