Homesick

Singaporean multidisciplinary artist and poet, Nor, invited me to design their book cover titled Homesick - a poetry collection published by Ethos Books. The book is an ode to the growing pains of every twenty-something’s search for love and belonging. While Homesick delves into the realities of being queer and marginalised, it also offers a fun, irreverent, and ultimately hopeful perspective on being young and in love in Singapore.

The creative brief was to design a book cover inspired by tarot cards, with a wistful, hopeful, and mystical tone. A key influence was Nor’s poem Swim Good, which reflects on their first love and early queer experiences through childhood mermaid fantasies.

"The swimming pool was a portal. My body became unlimited in its waters. As much as I understood that I had a ‘beberd’ in between my legs and according to both Atok and Nenek that meant that I was a boy, whenever I swam, I was one of the girls. I drifted in and out of mermaid daydreams. The turquoise tiles of the swimming pool dissipated to endless depths of potential. With each breath underwater, I conjured up make-believe aquatic cities."

In response, I illustrated a mermaid rising from a pool, blending mystical elements with contemporary tarot aesthetics.

Scattered are symbolic "easter eggs" drawn from occult and esoteric iconography, each carefully selected to echo themes in Nor’s poetry:

Crescent Moon with Eight-Pointed Star: Represents celestial guidance, balance, and feminine intuition.
Sun: Symbolises life, energy, power, and warmth.
Alchemy Symbol for Air: Conveys freedom and fluidity, reflecting Nor’s dreamlike desire to escape through mermaid fantasies.
Spiral Sigil: Represents growth, evolution, and the soul’s journey.
Batik Patterns: A nod to Nor’s Indonesian heritage. The chosen pattern mirrors the shapes of stars and moons, weaving cultural identity into the mystical, otherworldly tone of the artwork.