Andy Yeo

Guardian of Chinese culture

• Andy is a self-taught refurbisher
• He used to be an interior designer
• He has specialised in door and lantern painting restoration

Singapore’s traditional art restorer Andy Yeo shares an open workspace with several other talented artisans. Passionate about Chinese culture, Chinese performance tradition and especially Taoism, this artisan enjoys telling stories about how effigies and door gods are made. Andy has been refurbishing century-old temple doors around Singapore for years. He is a great teacher who loves explaining the various traditional techniques used in the restoration of religious effigies such as qi xian diao (漆线雕), jin diao (锦雕) and ni diao (泥雕) and the challenges of his craft in today's world.

Interview

Nicky Loh©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh©Michelangelo Foundation

Why did you choose this craft?

I grew up in an area where there were many craftspeople. I also had a strong interest in this field and I always wanted to learn it but there are no masters willing to teach today. I picked up this craft when a pair of effigies in our temple were badly damaged by termite. I attempted to repair them and progressed from there.

In what way is your craft linked to the territory?

My craft is strongly linked to Chinese culture, especially Taoism and Chinese theatre. The restoration tradition set by our forefathers is a great skill that must be preserved. Innovation, to me, is to achieve the same result using what is available today. I feel like I have a huge responsibility on my shoulders to transmit our culture.

What do you love most about your profession?

What I love the most about my work is when someone is happy with the result and I am able to preserve Chinese cultural symbols. When I refurbish an effigy, for instance, my aim is to make it as similar to the original as possible. As for paintings, my intention is to showcase Chinese culture in an accessible way.

Could your craft be considered in danger?

Yes, my craft can totally be considered in danger; especially in Singapore where there is only a handful of masters left. Most of them are only willing to pass down their skills to their family members. And unfortunately, Singapore is not really into promoting these skills.

Andy Yeo is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015 and he started teaching in 2022

Where