Ang ku kueh (ang meaning red, the traditional color, and ku meaning tortoise) is a glutinous rice cake stuffed with various savory items of goodness, including peanut, coconut, red bean, or mung bean paste. They are often given as a gift for infants and the elderly as a symbol of longevity. The cake is shaped like a tortoise (with head, feet, and tail carved into the mold) and features the character shòu (寿) in the middle, which means “long life.” They are arranged in a pattern of nine, an auspicious number in Mandarin: “nine” (jiǔ, 九) sounds like “a long time” (jiǔ, 久), so it has that going for it.

I designed this print for a contemporary look at the traditional foods themselves and to create a larger image that filled the page close to the edge.

Linocut print, 50x41cm (19.7”x16.1”) (image), 52x43cm (20.5”x16.9”) (paper)

Awagami Bamboo Select paper, 170gsm, 70% bamboo, 30% recycled paper

Signed and numbered, edition of 200, sold unframed