Designnonnatively – Design in a Language you Cannot Speak
Artist’s Book, Artistic Research, Silkscreen Printings
Research, Text, Artwork
Lai Ping So
Layout & Typography
Lai Ping So
Supervised by
Prof. Johannes Bergerhause
Prof. Ulysses Völker
Printing Offset Druckerei der Hochschule Mainz
Mainz, Germany
Binding & Production
Lai Ping So
Lai Ping So
Layout & Typography
Lai Ping So
Supervised by
Prof. Johannes Bergerhause
Prof. Ulysses Völker
Printing Offset Druckerei der Hochschule Mainz
Mainz, Germany
Binding & Production
Lai Ping So
Have you ever wondered if you could create a design in a language that you don't understand? This project explores this very question and how language knowledge and typography are closely related.
The hidden visual features of three distinct written languages: German, Traditional Chinese, and Hebrew, were compared and observed to highlight the unique characteristics of each script. An experimental practice was conducted using Hebrew, a non-Latin language, as the medium for design to delve deeper.
Two main questions were intended to be explored: Is it necessary to understand the meaning of a text before designing it? And how is a typeface chosen for a language that cannot be read? Additionally, a series of silkscreen prints were created to emphasize the typographic features of 'counters' and 'spaces between words' in these three scripts.
This work has been exhibited at several prestigious art spaces and institutes, including Hochschule Mainz, Gutleut Mainz, and PXL-MAD School of Arts Hasselt.
The hidden visual features of three distinct written languages: German, Traditional Chinese, and Hebrew, were compared and observed to highlight the unique characteristics of each script. An experimental practice was conducted using Hebrew, a non-Latin language, as the medium for design to delve deeper.
Two main questions were intended to be explored: Is it necessary to understand the meaning of a text before designing it? And how is a typeface chosen for a language that cannot be read? Additionally, a series of silkscreen prints were created to emphasize the typographic features of 'counters' and 'spaces between words' in these three scripts.
This work has been exhibited at several prestigious art spaces and institutes, including Hochschule Mainz, Gutleut Mainz, and PXL-MAD School of Arts Hasselt.
Supervised by Prof. Johannes Bergerhausen, Prof. Ulysses Völker
Author/Artist Lai Ping So
Printing Offset Druckerei der Hochschule Mainz, Germany
Binding & Production Lai Ping So
Author/Artist Lai Ping So
Printing Offset Druckerei der Hochschule Mainz, Germany
Binding & Production Lai Ping So