Some ten years ago, the impending demolition of a red-bricked building in Singapore stirred a passionate public debate about the importance of social memory, heritage conservation and cultural identity among Singaporeans. On the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s plan, the 40 year-old National Library at Stamford Road was slated to make way for a tunnel and a new university campus. Architects, academics, and newspaper editors sought to convince government authorities that the iconic building embodied the experiences that most Singaporeans had as school-going children, and that these common memories contributed to the Singapore identity. Though the building was eventually closed in 2004 and later pulled down, the episode stands as one of the most poignant public conversations on what makes Singapore feel like home.

This desire for the feeling of home is a central theme in Singapore Souvenirs, a participating exhibition in the Singapore Design Festival 2009 that seeks to replace the Merlion keychain. Perturbed by the absence of meaningful and representative souvenirs, the group of Singaporean designers behind Singapore Souvenirs went into the heartlands to search for everyday objects that symbolize the Singaporean way of life. The concepts that have grown out of this exploration are both heartfelt and reflective. From erasers made in the form of the popular handmade rice cake “Kueh Tutu” to journals with a dating system inspired by the quintessential parking coupon and to the fruit bowl resembling the discolored plastic colanders used in traditional fruit stalls, the concepts all draw from a rich and textured social memory. By tapping into everyday objects, the design team succeeds at connecting the average Singaporean’s personal experiences with a touristy token at an intimate level.

The problem with cultural identity, if there is one, is that it is evolves despite our control. The expressions of souvenirs in Singapore Souvenirs are also expressions of a moment in time. The institutions that some of the souvenirs seek to immortalize are disappearing. “Kueh Tutu” stalls are now far and few between; parking coupons are becoming obsolete as public car parks are outfitted with electronic parking systems; the once ubiquitous traditional fruit stalls are commonplace only in exotic Geylang. And as the demographic and cultural make-up of Singapore change with a new wave of immigrants, so too will its language and the objects it imbues with social and cultural significance. In other words, if souvenirs need to have longevity in addition to being socially meaningful and representative of local culture, then the memorabilia at Singapore Souvenirs have the challenge of remaining relevant through time.

But even if the answers may be temporal, the questions that Singapore Souvenirs raise remain critical: what is the essence of a souvenir, and whose meaning should it embody?

Singapore Souvenirs is on display till 30 Nov 2009