Rice Publication Vol. 1: Nasi
Stephanie Auw
“Rice Publication is a project exploring the intersection of food, memory,
and identity through stories centred on the idea of rice.”
Nasi, is a collection of four publications focusing on rice-themed stories through the lens of Indonesia, a country where more than 97% of the population eats rice for most, if not all, of their daily meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
My main publication titled CHINDO, is an exploration of self. To write about rice is to write about myself, my identity, and my entity. For Chinese Indonesians, rice is the centre of gravity. It is the metric of a life well-lived, a symbol of the stability we were once denied and the life we built in spite of it. This book may not resonate with others exactly as it does with me, and that is exactly the point.
Our complex cultural heritages are what build us into individuals, and I created this work as a personal celebration of my own. Growing up in Jakarta, I was surrounded by what I thought was a diverse community. However, moving to Canada opened my eyes to just how massive the world truly is. I realized that my previous understanding of diversity was only a tiny speck in a much larger picture.
“When my cultural identity becomes a source of confusion for others, I often struggle to explain myself, a challenge I still face today. Yet, I am grateful for the opportunity to have written about it, finally finding a way to give my heritage a voice of its own.”
The visual identity of Rice Publication is rooted in the organic architecture of the grain itself. By photographing and studying actual rice, I translated its natural silhouettes and textures into a logo that feels intentional, ensuring the brand’s face is as grounded and authentic as the stories it tells.
It’s Always Rice
It’s Always Rice is an experimental, spiral-bound photo book that explores Indonesia through it’s different dishes, where rice isn’t just a staple, it is rather the essential centrepiece that defines a complete meal.
subak
Subak is an accordion-fold children’s book that weaves an illustrative tale of two goddesses, tracing the sacred flow of Bali’s water and rice from divine origins down to the family dinner table.
Rice Proverbs
Rice Proverbs is a zine and sticker set exploring the linguistic part of Indonesia, where rice acts more than a staple food. By visualizing classic metaphors, this project deconstructs how a single grain provides the vocabulary for a nation’s everyday philosophy, humor, and identity.
Upon graduation, I hope to continue working on this project, turning it into a broader series, collaborating with diverse communities to preserve and elevate their unique cultural narratives through rice-based stories.
Four years ago, I moved here alone, beginning a chapter of my life that would redefine everything I thought I knew. This project is my way of honouring that journey! It is a collection of stories about me, my origins, and the mediums I’ve experimented with along the way. Somewhere between the curiosity of a foundation student and the focus of a future communication designer, I fell in love with the art of creating all sorts of publications.
To everyone who walked this path alongside me – my partner, my friends, the community at school and my instructors. Thank you for helping me find my way. I step out into the world now with a heart full of curiosity and a mind sharpened by the grit of my time at Emily Carr University. I’m super nervous to experience what lies ahead of me in the future, yet curious and excited to see more of what this world offers, for now, see you when I see you!
