My Cham tongue – Deden Fathurrahman

My Cham tongue

Reimagining cultural memory through contemporary visual storytelling.

Project My Cham tongue

Overview A cookbook and cultural platform blending food, migration, memory, illustration, and Islamic visual traditions.

Disciplines Editorial, illustration, calligraphy, art direction

Year 2025

CHALLENGE

Making an underrepresented culture feel authentic, contemporary, and close.

The central challenge was translating a historically rich culture without making it feel overly archival or distant. The publication needed to welcome younger and international readers while respecting Cham memory, identity, migration, and belonging.

APPROACH

Many visual disciplines, composed as one editorial language.

Contemporary layouts, risograph-inspired illustration, playful colour, tactile textures, photography, ornamentation, and Cham Jawi Arabic calligraphy work together as a cohesive system. Cultural references support the narrative and emotional tone rather than serving as decoration.

My Cham tongue editorial spread combining typography and illustration — This spread establishes the editorial rhythm by bringing typography and illustration into one visual field.

My Cham tongue editorial spread combining photography and calligraphy — Photography and calligraphy add cultural specificity while remaining part of the same contemporary system.

My Cham tongue publication spread showing a balanced mixed-media layout — The composition balances layered content with quieter space, keeping a rich narrative legible and inviting.

My Cham tongue spread integrating illustration photography and type — Different forms of image-making can coexist because the typography, palette, and pacing hold the visual language together.

My Cham tongue editorial spread demonstrating the publication visual system — Together, the spread previews show how varied exploration stays cohesive across the wider publication.

OUTCOME

A cookbook became a platform for cultural preservation and connection.

The final publication balances authenticity, readability, symbolism, and contemporary appeal. It connected with Cham and Muslim communities as well as broader audiences, turning cultural documentation into an approachable and emotionally resonant experience.

My Cham tongue book-launch event — A photograph from the actual book launch shows the publication moving from cultural documentation into a shared community experience.