Tulip & Paperflower

The Tulip & Paperflower collection, are both inspired from the novel “Ragam Ni Si Marian”. A novel written by Kartini Sjahrir, based on research conducted in the Netherlands and Indonesia, is a work of fiction interwoven with social, political, economic, and inter-racial conflict facts during the colonial period from 1900 to the post-independence year of 1956.

The Dutch Tulip and Indonesia’s Paperflower are chosen as symbols of cultural assimilation, representing the merging of two worlds in an effort to erase slavery and racial divides. Melissa breathes life into this story by applying traditional woodcut techniques from that era, adding layers of depth and nostalgic undertones to the visual narrative.