This narrative project is based around the first French I learned after moving to Belgium as a child. The book of opposites explores the irony of how the words “Je ne comprends pas” can carry so much meaning, and documents the early beginnings of an obsession with linguistics and communication. From the semi-transparent illustrations (that can be viewed from two sides), to the pair of eyes that adorn the inside covers, every facet of the design iterates the two sides existing within every story.
This book, bound by hand and illustrated from memory, is a love letter to language and design, and everything in between.
əˈbʌv ðə dɔrˌweɪ tuː ðə raɪt aɪ saʊndəd aʊt ðə wərd “əkɔl”. aɪ wʌndərd ɪf ðə bɪldɪŋ wəz neɪmd æftər ə feɪməs “əkɔl” huː hæd dʌn sʌmˌθɪŋ ɪmˈpɔrtənt fɔr ðə ˈskuːl. Je ne comprends pas.
The narrative includes a cursive exploration of spoken language, simulating what it’s like to be dropped in the deep end of partial understanding.
The main body of the book is written in phonetics, a universal code which linguists use to ascertain the correct and exact pronunciation of any word. At the very end of the book, the reader is invited to fold out the English translation and read back through with the phonetics alongside.
The book attempts to visualise the multifaceted nature of understanding, dealing with language in particular, and communication in general.
* It was so interesting seeing how people interacted with the book. Many people didn’t seem to understand the point of it (a few people even asked me if it was written in French) however, fascinatingly, almost everyone who appreciated the idea grew up abroad and/or speaks English as a second language.
