MFA Thesis:
East-West/West-East


2019–20

Thesis Statement:
While at a macro level, notions of globalization and nationalism are shifting between the two over time. Cross-cultural communications in our daily life scenario are still unstoppable. Among those communications, the dialogue between East-Asia and the west is one of the driven forces. To raise the accessibility, clarity, and appropriate usage of East-Asian typography and Latin typography is needed. Such resources and references shall be decentralized. It should not only limit to certain practitioners and scholars but also open to a broader and even younger audience.

*Due to the pandemic, several thesis deliverables cannot make it to the final production process especially the thesis book. Therefore, the presentation of the thesis book would be adjusted once the book is crafted. 
毕业设计陈述:
        虽然在宏观层面上,全球化和民族主义的概念随着时间的推移在两者之间不断变化,但我们日常生活中的跨文化交流依然势不可挡。在这些交流中,东亚与西方之间的对话是其中一个驱动力。为了提高此类话题的可访问性、辨识度和正确使用,有必要加强东亚字体和拉丁字体的研究。这类资源和参考不应仅限于特定的从业者和学者,而应向更广泛,甚至是更年轻的受众开放并去中心化。

Instructor:
Sean Adams, Gerardo Herrera, Samantha Flemming, Kjell Van Sice, Constantin Chopin

Packaging Instructor:
Gerardo Herrera

Teaching Assistant:
Theresa Liu 
 




In essence, this MFA thesis project is to create a series of reference on how to use East-Asian typography along with Latin Typography.
简要地说,本硕士论文项目的核心是为东亚字体与拉丁字体结合使用方面创建一系列参考资料。



The thesis book consists of two parts. Part I is East-Asian Typography Atlas while Part II is Thesis Process. The final book will be crafted with a do-si-do binding technique. The form is a representation of the coexisting relationship between these two parts.
论文书分为两部分。第一部分是东亚字体图集,第二部分是论文过程。最终的书籍将采用 do-si-do 装订技术,形式象征着这两部分共存的关系。



‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ 
The thesis project is not only offering a series of reference, but also seeking to offer tools.
“授人以鱼,不如授人以渔。” 这项论文项目不仅提供了一系列参考资料,还旨在提供工具。


The conceptual packaging could be seen as a derivative or conclusion of the thesis. It is proving that East-Asian typography and Latin typography can live harmoniously from the reference I created. It is also criticizing the role of packaging in this highly-globalized world we live in. Cultures from the East and the West distinguishes from each other in the core. Otherness and difference can lead to conflicts and culture collisions. But difference could also form variety and diversity.
这个概念性的包装可以被视为论文的衍生物或结论,证明了东亚字体与拉丁字体可以在我创建的参考资料中和谐共存。它同时批判了包装在我们这个高度全球化的世界中的角色。东西方文化在核心上有所区别,他者性和差异性可能导致冲突和文化碰撞,但差异也可以形成多样性和丰富性。



The end of an MFA thesis project is certainly not the end of its practice. The next steps would include researching deeper on East-Asian typography and sharing my results with other designers/students who might be interested in such a topic. If you are one of them, feel free to email me and let me know! 
硕士论文项目的结束当然不是实践的终点。接下来的步骤将包括更深入地研究东亚字体,并与其他对该主题感兴趣的设计师或学生分享我的研究成果。如果你是其中之一,欢迎给我发邮件,让我知道!










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