EYEYAH! Q&A
What is EYEYAH?
EYEYAH! is an art platform that uses art and design as a vehicle to engage children in a visual conversation about social issues.
It is a social enterprise with a long-term vision to raise the level of creativity in education.
Where does the name come from?
It comes from the colloquial Term ‘AIYAH!’ Which is an expressive exclamation heard often in Singapore & Hong Kong. We are all about using the eyes, hence the switching of the spelling to EYE-YAH! Essentially it’s a brand born in Asia with an international outlook.
What social issues do you look at?
Our first issue looks at dangers of the internet and future issues will look at food consumption and money management. We select our themes according to subjects that are key to a child’s social & emotional development but are not covered in-depth by most school curriculums.
What age is EYEYAH aimed at?
We created it with 8 – 12 year olds in mind, however we’ve seen children as young as five stimulated by the detailed artworks and enjoying the activities like colouring-in and emoji drawing. Many of our followers are also graphic design & art aficionados who use EYEYAH as a resource to uncover new talent.
Is the book designed for children to explore independently or guided by a parent or Teacher?
Both. We’ve found that EYEYAH is kept on bookshelves and children keep coming back to it. It’s also a fantastic tool for parents and teachers to open up a discussion about social issues.
Some images are quite edgy, are they suitable for children?
EYEYAH isn’t about pretty pictures. Many of our images are intentionally thought-provoking. The child needs to place themselves in the shoes of the creator to decipher the meaning, that process nurtures visual literacy. At the same time the exposure to such creative thinking will develop a childs’ own ability to come up with new ideas.
How do you put an issue together?
We are always on the lookout for cutting-edge image makers from around the world. We start off with in-depth research on the theme – collating facts, stats and insights by working with journalists, academics, NGOs and Government bodies. We then curate a list of artists and invite them to create an artwork that brings to life the information we uncovered. The result is a reading experience like no other, we call it ‘reading with your eyes.’
Who created EYEYAH?
It was created by advertising & branding veterans who are also parents. One of our founders is an artist himself.
Where can I buy EYEYAH?
At the moment through our website and select locations (see Stockists). We are working hard to bring the book to independent book-stores and museum shops around the world.
How frequent is EYEYAH?
We will release a new issue three times a year. And in between each issue, there will be events, exhibitions and other pop-ups.