Hans Tan is a talented industrial designer whose work is exhibited around the world and treasured in private collections. The Singaporean designer recently added yet another prestigious accolade to his resume, and sat down with an interviewer from a publication to talk about his life, work, and vision for Singapore’s design world.
Tan said that he wasn’t a talented artist when he was growing up, but that he was adept at mathematical applications. It wasn’t until college that he even knew industrial design was an option for studying, and that was only a chance encounter with an informative flier. Tan began to excel in his coursework in industrial design, especially thriving during his design classes. He furthered his education in Europe, but returned to Singapore afterward to take part in the nation’s burgeoning arts scene. For the first few years of trying to make a living as a designer, Tan suffered financially, and had to make sacrifices. But his understanding for design grew, and he was rich in experiences and creative energy.
Now, Tan has his own design studio and a career studded with awards and honors. His award-winning designs can be seen in museums and galleries around Singapore, as well as international facilities. He is also a teacher, imparting his wisdom and knowledge about design to a new generation of future designers.
For Tan, Singaporean design is any item created by a Singaporean designer. However, he believes that the future is bright and ripe for the definition of true Singaporean design. Designers in Singapore are contributing to that aesthetic and idea with every item they visualize or complete, and the conversation about artistic design continues to develop.
Tan said his greatest hope for Singaporean designers is for design not to be seen as primarily commercial. During his studies abroad, Tan said that he saw design treated more as an art form than something simply to sell. However, appreciation for design in Singapore has grown over the last decade or so, and Tan said he hopes that more and more people will come to appreciate design as the legitimate art genre that it is. Ideally, there could be a design museum in Singapore, or more displays of what design actually means instead of straight fine art or murals around the city.
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To read more about Hans Tan’s work, life, and awards, go to https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/weekend-interview/hans-tan.