Small Island Big Song is a music project with climate change activism at the core of its heart. It involves artists from islands between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The project was inspired by the common ancestry shared by the islanders which originated in Taiwan about 5000 years ago.
The creative direction for the project is mainly inspired by the artists and the islands where they are from. Each portrait incorporates 3 main components. The first two components are of a photograph of the artist and an image of the natural environment where the artist is from or living in. These two components are merged to represent the significance of this natural environment to the artist. The third component is a treasure of specific items which represent the culture and way of life of the artist’s island. For example, flora and fauna, folklore, food, music, art and craft, etc.
These cultural elements are woven together in the illustration and drawn in a way which resembles a piece of traditional clothing or accessories. Thus the portrait is portraying the artist as one with their environment and proudly ‘wearing’ their story and cultural heritage. I use quite a lot of lines and dots in the illustrations.The lines are symbolising 'cultural lineage and storylines and connections' and the dots are paying homage to the traditional 'tatau' of Polynesia.