Positions through Dialogue_written response

In my 1:1 tutorial with Maya Ober we held conversation on the possibilities of visual expression of letters out side of Latin languages.Both Maya and myself noticed the need to think outside of Latin Alphabet perspective of type design. Our conversation let to how types are mad to be set. Under a homogeneous graphic setting system today, letters of other language structures are limited in their expression.

Arabic is an example of beautiful and poetic system of symbols employ totally different reading and writing method than Latin alphabets. As I was traveling in Morocco, I asked a native how Arabic signs suppose to be read. He explained to me they are read as they were written right to left and what each letter represents. The Sign we were looking consists of 3 words, each word as a whole. He use the metaphor of music script which made sense to me, since the composition of the parts vs the whole is so unique it could only be described as musical. Each Arabic words are often connected. When they are put into phrase or sentences, the chunk of words are break spaces. This rhythmic quality is very different from the mono-spaced setting of Chinese letters. And the more prominent legacy of continuous writing also give it a different read to English. Considering the diversity of written languages, it is obviously limiting to design only in the current power logic. For instance, InDesign doesn’t support vertical setting.

In the face of this struggle, Maya shared with me a conversation with Yu Jiwon on the concept of “interlocality” for multilingual typography. Yu Jiwon stressed on the struggle for language of different formative background being forced upon Latin space logic. Instead of the difference in appearance of letters, she put focus on different “space” in design and cultural logic it reveals. Much similar to Arabic’s music quality , each language utilize space in their writing. This realization make me reflect the structure that I use to create my nature typography. My work method has yet broken through the system of Latin type design. The typefaces still lives in lines and columns despite their nature inspired forms. To further develop the non-literal expression of type, a promising next step would be to find nature’s way of incorporating space.

For my second actor to engage in a dialogue, I experiment on exchanging information with ecosystem. I find 26 pieces of coral washed up on the beach, each sharing formal similar to a letter from A to Z. I arranged the “alphabet” in order, and left them on the beach. After a tide in the evening, I come back to see what’s left of the alphabet. In this act of exchange, the sea has left letters with more stable structure or heavier weight. The action manifest of the language, an attempt to make what’s abstract concrete.

To further contextualize my enquiry, I would look into creating new space structure in which the type behaves. This project would be a exploration on bounder of visual communication. By re-imagining the form and structure of Latin letters, it shows potential of a tool for non-literal communication and representation on various reading experiences.

Bibliography

Jung, R.S.D., 2022. The interlocality of typography. Futuress. Available at: https://futuress.org/stories/the-interlocality-of-typography/ [Accessed September 23, 2022].

Anon, Futuress (page 1). Futuress. Available at: https://futuress.org/learning/ [Accessed September 23, 2022].

Fig. coral alphabet