In the heart of Singapore, a beacon of the past's craftsmanship faces an uncertain future. Typesettingsg, the only letterpress heritage studio in Singapore, is set to close its doors after ten years of operation. This studio has been more than just a business; it has been a custodian of Singapore's rich printing history, a history that dates back to the early 19th century with the establishment of the Mission Press by Christian missionaries.
Sun Yao Yu, the 40-year-old founder of Typesettingsg and a passionate freelance graphic designer, has been the sole force behind this studio. Nestled within the Geylang East Industrial Estate, the studio has become a sanctuary for artefacts that tell the story of Singapore's multilingual print industry. From a rare printing block for hell money to a collection of hand-carved logos and a 1967 mould of the Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper, these items are a tangible connection to a bygone era.
The studio's journey began at the Golden Mile Complex and, after the building's en-bloc sale in 2022, found its new home at Geylang East. However, a 30 percent rent hike has jeopardized its existence. Sun Yao Yu's dedication to the craft has seen Typesettingsg conduct over 500 workshops and tours, educating the public and fostering appreciation for the traditional letterpress heritage that spans over 200 years.
Singapore's printing industry is not only one of the oldest in Asia but also unique in its multilingual capabilities. It's a legacy that includes pioneers like Samuel Dyer, who developed aesthetically pleasing Chinese metallic types. Yet, without a dedicated printing museum in Singapore, Typesettingsg has stood in as the de facto center for preservation and promotion of this heritage.
As Sun Yao Yu prepares to step away in June 2024, he makes a heartfelt appeal for individuals, organizations, schools, studios, or museums to take over the reins. "People entrust all these to me, and I buy them from the old printing shops. It's just not possible to discard all these and sell them as scrap. This is Singapore's heritage – if this is gone, where else can we find it?" he shares with The Straits Times.
The closure of Typesettingsg is not just the end of a business; it's the potential loss of a cultural touchstone, a repository of knowledge and history that cannot be replicated. The studio's fate now hangs in the balance, awaiting a savior who values the irreplaceable narrative embedded in every ink-stained block and weathered press.
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