#Visual communication
#Book design


Stroke is an exploration of the intrinsic connections between Chinese calligraphy and martial arts, reflecting their shared philosophies of balance, intention, and movement. Inspired by Wu Rangzhi’s small seal script and Bruce Lee’s foundational stances from Chinese Kong Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense, the project reinterprets traditional calligraphic strokes as forms embodying Kong Fu postures and actions.

“笔画” 是对中国书法和武术之间内在联系的探索,反映了它们在平衡、意图和运动方面的共同理念。该项目的灵感来自吴让之的小篆书和李小龙在《中国功夫:自卫的哲学艺术》中的基本立场,将传统的书法笔画重新诠释为体现功夫姿势和动作的形式。

This work examines the correspondence between form and intent in both disciplines—where the mind guides movement in martial arts, it similarly directs the brush in calligraphy. The fluidity and structure of small seal script, a system that preserves the pictographic origins of Chinese characters, serve as a metaphor for abstract visual poetry. Through rigorous practice and study, each character was deconstructed and reimagined as an expression of motion, flexibility, and balance, echoing the philosophical tenets of Yin and Yang.

这部作品考察了这两个学科中形式和意图之间的对应关系——在武术中,思想指导着动作,在书法中,思想指导着毛笔。小篆书的流畅性和结构,保留了汉字的象形起源,作为抽象视觉诗歌的隐喻。通过严格的实践和研究,每个角色都被解构和重新想象为运动、灵活和平衡的表达,呼应了阴阳的哲学原则。

The project responds to FolDer Magazine's first issue open call on the theme of ‘visual poetry’, reimagining poetry through visual experimentation and liberating poetry from linear formats, blending typography and visuals to uncover its essence beyond text.

该项目是对 FolDer 杂志第一期“视觉诗歌”主题的公开征集的回应,通过视觉实验重新构想诗歌,将诗歌从线性格式中解放出来,将排版和视觉效果融合在一起,揭示其超越文本的本质。

FolDer Magazine is an experimental publication project born within Frandisco Studio, an art and design collective fostering creative collaboration. 

FolDer Magazine是一个实验性的出版项目,诞生于francdisco工作室,这是一个促进创造性合作的艺术和设计集体。

Through self-directed workshops and collaborative experiments, we posed questions such as: How can everyday text transform into visual content? Can classical poetry inspire a seamless integration of words and imagery? Can symbols and pictograms convey poetic meaning? How can fleeting moments of poetic inspiration be captured through design?

通过自我指导的研讨会和合作实验,我们提出了这样的问题:日常文本如何转化为视觉内容?古典诗歌能激发文字与意象的无缝融合吗?符号和象形文字能传达诗意吗?如何通过设计捕捉转瞬即逝的诗意灵感?

The resulting collection demonstrates the potential of visual poetry to transcend form, offering a contemporary reimagination of poetic expression. By embracing the spirit of rebellion—a theme central to modern art and design—we challenge conventions while exploring the harmonious interplay of text, imagery, and visual design.

由此产生的纸质出版物展示了视觉诗歌超越形式的潜力,提供了对诗歌表达的当代重新想象。通过拥抱反叛精神——现代艺术和设计的核心主题——我们挑战传统,同时探索文本、图像和视觉设计的和谐相互作用。



🏆Awards

        Youth Design 100 Beijing(青年设计100), 2023
        Hiiibrand Award, 2023
        Around Publishing, Shanghai, 2024


Chief Editor
Xin Ai

Designers
Xin Ai
Xiao Zhang (Elliot)

Editors
Jinghan He (Jing)
Lingxi Zhang (Lynsee)
Zheyuan Luo (ZeeAnn)
Xiao Zhang (Elliot)

Other Participants
Yizhao Jiao (Wolf)
Jiaqi Wang (Rachel)
Chenxi Nie (Patty)


Special Thanks
Andrew Long
Daniel Fletcher
Francisco Casaroti
Tim Hutchinson
Tony Yard
Monica Biagioli
Ravin Raori
Owen Wells
Scott House

Contact Us
http://frandis.co
@frandis.co
frandiscostudio@outlook.com


©Lingxi Zhang