NOV 2024
something in between
My book idea came from the writing exercise. I started writing about fungi simply because I was listening to a song about mushrooms. But after a few iterations, I gradually discovered that fungi have some intriguing qualities: they’re mysterious, elusive, and ambiguous. These qualities became the central theme of this book—in-between.
And then I thought about what kind of book form can represent this sense of “in-between.”That’s when the idea became clear: I wanted to create a transparent book. Transparent pages, when layered, create overlapping effects that convey an ambiguous message.
My book idea came from the writing exercise. I started writing about fungi simply because I was listening to a song about mushrooms. But after a few iterations, I gradually discovered that fungi have some intriguing qualities: they’re mysterious, elusive, and ambiguous. These qualities became the central theme of this book—in-between.
And then I thought about what kind of book form can represent this sense of “in-between.”That’s when the idea became clear: I wanted to create a transparent book. Transparent pages, when layered, create overlapping effects that convey an ambiguous message.
My book idea came from the writing exercise. I started writing about fungi simply because I was listening to a song about mushrooms. But after a few iterations, I gradually discovered that fungi have some intriguing qualities: they’re mysterious, elusive, and ambiguous. These qualities became the central theme of this book—in-between.
And then I thought about what kind of book form can represent this sense of “in-between.”That’s when the idea became clear: I wanted to create a transparent book. Transparent pages, when layered, create overlapping effects that convey an ambiguous message.
The book has 4 sections, each representing a pair of contrasting characteristics of fungi.
#1: nutrition—illusion
Fungi exist between food and drugs. They can provide either nutrition or illusion.
#2: gloom—vibrance
Fungi thrive between gloom and vibrance. They grow crazily, especially during gloomy, rainy seasons.
#3: death—birth
Fungi exist between death and birth. They decompose dead matter to regenerate new life.
#4: from nowhere—be everywhere
Fungi seem to come from nowhere, appearing at unexpected times and places. But they’re actually everywhere. They release countless spores that fill the air we breathe and build massive mycelium networks beneath our feet.
The word fungi doesn’t appear anywhere in the book, but on the last page of the fourth section, a question is posed for readers to consider: What are they exactly?
The illustrations and text are done in monochrome because I believe muting the colors enhances the layered effects.
The book has 4 sections, each representing a pair of contrasting characteristics of fungi.
#1: nutrition—illusion
Fungi exist between food and drugs. They can provide either nutrition or illusion.
#2: gloom—vibrance
Fungi thrive between gloom and vibrance. They grow crazily, especially during gloomy, rainy seasons.
#3: death—birth
Fungi exist between death and birth. They decompose dead matter to regenerate new life.
#4: from nowhere—be everywhere
Fungi seem to come from nowhere, appearing at unexpected times and places. But they’re actually everywhere. They release countless spores that fill the air we breathe and build massive mycelium networks beneath our feet.
The word fungi doesn’t appear anywhere in the book, but on the last page of the fourth section, a question is posed for readers to consider: What are they exactly?
The illustrations and text are done in monochrome because I believe muting the colors enhances the layered effects.
The book has 4 sections, each representing a pair of contrasting characteristics of fungi.
#1: nutrition—illusion
Fungi exist between food and drugs. They can provide either nutrition or illusion.
#2: gloom—vibrance
Fungi thrive between gloom and vibrance. They grow crazily, especially during gloomy, rainy seasons.
#3: death—birth
Fungi exist between death and birth. They decompose dead matter to regenerate new life.
#4: from nowhere—be everywhere
Fungi seem to come from nowhere, appearing at unexpected times and places. But they’re actually everywhere. They release countless spores that fill the air we breathe and build massive mycelium networks beneath our feet.
The word fungi doesn’t appear anywhere in the book, but on the last page of the fourth section, a question is posed for readers to consider: What are they exactly?
The illustrations and text are done in monochrome because I believe muting the colors enhances the layered effects.
I also created a transparent acrylic box as a book holder to tie the whole concept together. At the bottom of the box, I placed a double-sided, colorful illustration. I used linocut printing for this illustration. The colors transition from monochrome to vibrant, subtly revealing an answer. The subject of the illustration—a fungi girl removing her facial mask—hints at the question posed on the last page: What are they exactly? The answer, of course, is fungi.
I made this book to honor the creatures of the Earth that are not human. Sometimes we’re so arrogant, thinking we’re the most intelligent beings, that we overlook the countless mysteries of other creatures. These beings are intelligent and powerful in ways we haven’t fully explored.
I also created a transparent acrylic box as a book holder to tie the whole concept together. At the bottom of the box, I placed a double-sided, colorful illustration. I used linocut printing for this illustration. The colors transition from monochrome to vibrant, subtly revealing an answer. The subject of the illustration—a fungi girl removing her facial mask—hints at the question posed on the last page: What are they exactly? The answer, of course, is fungi.
I made this book to honor the creatures of the Earth that are not human. Sometimes we’re so arrogant, thinking we’re the most intelligent beings, that we overlook the countless mysteries of other creatures. These beings are intelligent and powerful in ways we haven’t fully explored.
I also created a transparent acrylic box as a book holder to tie the whole concept together. At the bottom of the box, I placed a double-sided, colorful illustration. I used linocut printing for this illustration. The colors transition from monochrome to vibrant, subtly revealing an answer. The subject of the illustration—a fungi girl removing her facial mask—hints at the question posed on the last page: What are they exactly? The answer, of course, is fungi.
I made this book to honor the creatures of the Earth that are not human. Sometimes we’re so arrogant, thinking we’re the most intelligent beings, that we overlook the countless mysteries of other creatures. These beings are intelligent and powerful in ways we haven’t fully explored.
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