Books by Ishikawa Kyuyo
Since my undergraduate studies in design, I've been passionate about typography and research, and I've naturally developed a deep interest in letters. Letters, in particular, are intertwined with all fields, making it difficult to establish specific guidelines. However, the letter philosophy of Ishiki and Kyūyō significantly changed my understanding of letters as a designer. As a calligrapher, critic, and letter researcher, his understanding of letters is not a means of communication compatible with language. He delicately distinguishes between written letters, written characters, printed characters, and input characters, each representing a distinct medium.
Reading his thoughts, I came to realize that although my job is as a designer and I have the right and qualification to use letters as a human being, I should not simply consider letters as material for my work.
Most philosophical books on letters and language are Western, and thus tend to be written by scholars from Latin-based countries. However, the greatest strength of this book, written with the sensibility of the Chinese character cultural sphere, is that it views the concept of writing as a completely different concept (the Western “writing” and the Eastern “書” have such different usage concepts that it is difficult to describe them in the same word, “character”). His profound and persuasive writing is addictive to readers, especially those who are deeply interested in letters. I read all of his works, and I remember carrying his books in my bag for a while, looking forward to the time spent commuting on the subway or waiting for food at restaurants.