“Kung Fu is often thought of by ‘Westerners’ as just a Chinese
Martial Art, ‘Americanized’, much like Chinese takeout,” explains
Ken-Tsai Lee, a New York designer originally from Taipei. In its true
form, Kung Fu can mean any individual accomplishment or cultivated art,
refined and perfected over time. Lee says, “I know it is a treasure to
come from a place with such a rich history, and so I want to share
that wealth with western people by making design resonating with
communicative Kung Fu”.
Lee’s ‘Daily Book 2007’, designed for Fonso Enterprise in Taiwan,
is an exploration of a concept ubiquitous to both east and west; the
concept of time. Each of the daily’s 365 pages can be viewed
one-day-at-a-time, or as a flipbook to convey the idea that ‘time flies’.
Cut out from the pages, is a transition from small holes to large hearts,
providing ‘empty space’ for reflection throughout the year. The
back cover features an old Chinese saying, interpreted in English,
“Time is the revealer of a man’s sincerity.” Lee says, “this means
that only through time is a person’s true nature shown”. Lee’s
design serves as a daily reminder to consider, from east to west, the
measure of our hearts.
by/Aaron Tucker
Martial Art, ‘Americanized’, much like Chinese takeout,” explains
Ken-Tsai Lee, a New York designer originally from Taipei. In its true
form, Kung Fu can mean any individual accomplishment or cultivated art,
refined and perfected over time. Lee says, “I know it is a treasure to
come from a place with such a rich history, and so I want to share
that wealth with western people by making design resonating with
communicative Kung Fu”.
Lee’s ‘Daily Book 2007’, designed for Fonso Enterprise in Taiwan,
is an exploration of a concept ubiquitous to both east and west; the
concept of time. Each of the daily’s 365 pages can be viewed
one-day-at-a-time, or as a flipbook to convey the idea that ‘time flies’.
Cut out from the pages, is a transition from small holes to large hearts,
providing ‘empty space’ for reflection throughout the year. The
back cover features an old Chinese saying, interpreted in English,
“Time is the revealer of a man’s sincerity.” Lee says, “this means
that only through time is a person’s true nature shown”. Lee’s
design serves as a daily reminder to consider, from east to west, the
measure of our hearts.
by/Aaron Tucker
