A VISUAL ANALYSIS OF FURNITURE CONFIGURATION IN DOMESTIC SPACES OF PERANAKAN CHINESE HOUSES AS A METHOD OF VALIDATING EXISTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURE, IN THE CONTEXT OF 19TH CENTURY SINGAPORE

Abstract

This study validates the hypothesis that domestic spaces could be considered as a product of understanding social and cultural processes that extend beyond the boundaries of the home. The research evaluates the furniture in the domestic space and explores the cultural meanings manifested in the furniture configurations. The Peranakan Chinese have been known for its nature of assimilation into the local communities while retaining some of the customs and traditions. Identifying a few cultural themes, the research presents the findings of a visual and ethnographic study of the Peranakan Chinese homes in the context of Singapore around the late18th century. The findings attempted to develop an understanding of how meanings related to socio-cultural contexts are employed to classify and appropriate domestic space. In conclusion, the knowledge revealed can provide a means to a new approach of visual analysis for the understanding of the cultural meanings associated with domestic spaces.