This week, in the lead up to our nation’s 50th birthday we bring you an exclusive series of portraits dedicated to our founding father Lee Kuan Yew. Today, we bring you Milica Bravacic's painstakingly hand drawn portrait of Lee as a young boy, dressed in the style of a young Peranakan boy. In particular, her canvas reflects the consideration that has gone into the artwork — she blended traditional batik drawing and applied that to habutai silk, paying a subtle homage to Lee's heritage.
Milica Bravacic, The Boy From Neil Road, Batik/free hand on habutai silk, 2015
"Our character and values are developed during our childhood. LKY's pride probably came from his Peranakan roots, as well as his ability to respect the aspects of different cultures." — as told to Harper's Bazaar Singapore.
To see more from our exclusive series, click here.