PROJECTS

TING

The gourd is a vine plant whose growth patterns reflect a natural rhythm and aesthetic beauty. This book is inspired by my grandfather’s seasonal practice of cultivating gourds. He shared photographs of his plants with me, which became the foundation of my study. By tracing these images, I extracted the vines' pathways, intersections, potential growth points (noting that new growth often emerges at intersections), and stroke thickness, measured in points.

I categorized the extracted vine trajectories into six distinct groups based on thickness. Each group was aligned in a uniform direction, with measurements recorded in two decimal places. After calculating the average thickness within each category, I synthesized the data into five visually distinguishable stroke weights, along with a cross and a designated birth point. Drawing from calligraphy, typeface design, and typography, I transformed these natural vine forms into a readable and interpretable visual symbol system—creating a cross-species language.

In the final section of the book, I designed an interview-based narrative from multiple perspectives. Beneath the gourd trellis, I (Hongting Shen) narrate the conversation in the third person as the interviewer, while my grandfather responds in the first person, sharing his insights and experiences in gourd cultivation. Meanwhile, the gourds, through their cross-species language, offer their own responses and commentaries, forming a unique interspecies dialogue.