U_nderscore Series
- Chokoon
- Nov 11, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: May 21
Project Title: U_nderscore Series
Condition: Ongoing
Date: 09/2019
U_nderscore Series is a collection of computationally generated portrait artworks that explore the intricate relationship between language and identity.
Language influences the way we think. The theory is that one’s perception of reality is either determined or else greatly influenced by the language we speak.
Since language is the tool we use to mentally categorize emotions and communicate experiences, one can describe it as the primary method through which we organize and express thoughts. In other words, our mindset is shaped by our native tongue, and learning another language could help broaden it.
Experiences that we may otherwise have thought to be universal, such as that of time, may be perceived differently depending on the language we use to express said experience.
Ultimately, what's an identity. What defines people who they are.
Perhaps nothing holds more personal significance than our name; the unique combination of native characters given to us at birth and carried throughout our lives.
Some recent research suggests that names can influence the choice of profession.
Where we live, whom we marry, the grades we earn, the stocks we invest in, whether we’re accepted to a school or are hired for a particular job, and the quality of our work in a group setting.
Different culture also has distinct naming structures.
U_nderscore series depicts the portrait of 4 Thai figures; King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth monarch and Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara of Thailand as well as their female copper-colored dog Thong Daeng. And also King Chulalongkorn, the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri.
Each portrait is meticulously constructed using a fusion of Thai and English alphabets derived from their names, symbolically reinforcing the identities and legacies of these revered individuals. This typographic layering serves to honor their enduring cultural significance while exploring the intersection of language, identity, and visual representation.
Top Left: Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara; Top Right: King Bhumibol Adulyadej;
Bottom Left: King Chulalongkorn; Bottom Right: Thong Daeng
Limited edition, 100 prints per figure made from an original work designed by Settawut Leenavong. The print is hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
The project was published on Designboom:
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