The Art of the Alphabet

Typographic Exploration in Hangul explores the formation of the letters of the Hangul alphabet as well as the emotion that the letters hold in Korean culture through two-dimensional works. In order to understand the exhibit, it is important to understand some of the history of the Hangul alphabet.

Hangul is the native alphabet of the Korean language. Created in the mid-fifteenth century it is now the official script of both North Korea and South Korea. Hangul is a phonetic alphabet organized into syllabic blocks. Each block consists of at least two of the twenty-four Hangul letters (jamo), at least one each of the fourteen consonants (jaeum) and ten vowels (moi eium). The syllabic blocks can be written in two ways. Either horizontally from left to right or vertically from top to bottom in columns from right to left. (For a more in depth history on this fascinating alphabet visit http://www.zkorean.com/hangul/history_of_hangul).

This exhibition showcases the work of Hyunju Lee and Phil Choo. Both designers were born and raised in Korea and their typographic roots began with Hangul. Choo earned a MFA in graphic design from Iowa State University and is now an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Oklahoma State University. Lee studied visual communication in Japan and received her MFA from Tama Art University in Japan and her PhD from Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts.

The exhibition focuses mainly on the Korean culture through the emotions that the letters evoke. Since it is a typographic exhibit, most of the inspiration comes from Korean poems, songs, and cultural traditions. Each individual piece is deeply tied to the traditions and sounds of the Hangul alphabet.

Typographic Exploration in Hangul is a prime example of taking the pure essence of a culture and making it visual. The exhibit focuses around the written word, which we all use to communicate, and explores through image how a culture lives off of the written word. Through colors, rich text, and deep cultural meaning Typographic Exploration of Hangul is a beautiful insight into the rich beauty of the Hangul alphabet.

For more information on the exhibit and museum hours visit the UC Davis Design Museum Website at: http://designmuseum.ucdavis.edu/