I Wasn't There
Overview
Absence speaks louder than words
<I Wasn't There> is a set of two booklets enclosed in a box cover, exploring the themes of absence and existence through two different poems. It examines how memory, imagination, and personal histories are shaped in the absence of direct experience and how these gaps inform our understanding of existence.
Year
December 2024
Duration
5 Weeks
Type
Editorial
Role
- Graphic Designer
Tools Used
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
Absence speaks louder than words.
Project Background
<I Wasn't There> book project began with a single given title “I wasn’t (was not) there.” The project started by questioning what this says such as its imagery, emotional weight, and the visual forms, etc. The title evolved into an exploration of existence and presence, inspired by the poem “Absence Proves Existence” by Kyeongshin Hwang. By stating “I was not there,” the absence of the self paradoxically confirms its existence. This tension between presence and absence became the core concept of the project and is expressed visually through black-and-white imagery.
Challenges & Goals
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Challenges
Given the title I Wasn’t There, the primary challenge was to develop content that meaningfully connected to its theme. The project was structured as three interconnected booklets, each contributing to the overarching narrative of the title. While a minimum amount of text was required, the remaining content and pacing were left to the designer’s discretion, demanding thoughtful editorial and visual decisions.
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Goals
Guided by the theme suggested by the title, the project became highly photography-driven, embracing abstraction as a way to communicate meaning. Exploring ideas of absence and presence, the booklets combine poems and commentaries with black-and-white photography. Each booklet features a distinct photographic theme, while collectively reinforcing the shared conceptual framework.
Approach & Key Process
Background Research
- Examined how absence, memory, and fragmentation can be visually represented.
Target Audiences
- Considered how readers emotionally engage with fragmented storytelling.
Literary Analysis
- Analyzed the structure, pacing, and thematic layers of the text.
- Identified key moments that shape the emotional rhythm of the book.
Visual Trends
- Researched contemporary editorial and experimental book design.
- Studied how typography and layout contribute to atmosphere and meaning.
Book Specification
- Determined format, size, pacing, and physical structure of the book.
- Considered how material choices affect reading experience.
Layout & Grid
- Established layout rules to guide rhythm, spacing, and hierarchy.
- Explored how absence and silence could be expressed through layout.
Book Concept Development
- Defined the relationship between text, negative space, and imagery.
Build Moodboards
Visual Direction
- Developed the visual language through typography, spacing, and restraint.
- Refined a system that supports emotional pacing rather than decoration.
Content & Composition
- Structured text placement to emphasize pauses, absence, and silence.
- Balanced readability with expressive layout decisions.
Prototyping (Printing)
- Tested sequencing, pacing, and materiality through printed mockups.
- Refined layout decisions through iterative adjustments.
Mockup Creation
Assembly & Final Polish
Present
Theme
Absence × Existence
<I Wasn't There> is a booklet series that brings together three poems under a shared title. Using a strictly black-and-white color palette, the project visually and conceptually explores the relationship between absence and existence. Each poem is paired with monochromatic photography, where black and white imagery reinforces the tension between what is present and what is missing, allowing absence itself to become a form of presence.
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