Field Notes
“Language first emerged as a way for humans to connect and build together. But as communities grew apart, so did their words, turning language into something that can both unite and divide.
This series blends calligraphy with typographic form, returning to that early instinct to communicate across boundaries. By reshaping the strokes of a Chinese character into its English meaning, the artwork becomes a shared visual language, a reminder that in a world constantly pulling us apart, we are more alike than we imagine.“
Today we're releasing the first collection from this series. It explores three characters, 饭 (Rice), 茶 (Tea), and 流 (Flow), showing how everyday words reveal shared truths across cultures. Each piece reshapes a Chinese character to reflect its English meaning, with strokes carrying both languages at once. Can you see it?
饭 (Rice) carries meanings both practical and symbolic. Across Asia, rice is life. It is the foundation of every meal, present at every table. The greeting “Have you eaten?” reflects a culture where food is tied to care and well-being. In Japan, rice is considered the meal itself, the base on which everything else rests. A canvas on which flavours are painted. From basmati to sticky rice, each variety brings its own flavour and story. Simple and unassuming, rice is essential. It symbolises life and abundance.
茶 (Tea) is a plant, a drink, and a tradition. The character 茶 is composed of three parts: 艹 (plant), 人 (person), and 木 (root/wood), hinting at its role in keeping us grounded. In medicine, tea is used to restore balance to body and spirit. Making tea draws on the five elements: water, fire, earth, wood, and air. You cannot rush it. Tea is taken in slowly. Across cultures, it appears in many forms, each with its own flavour and ritual. At its heart, tea is medicine for body, spirit, and mind.
流 (Flow) has been described in many ways. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi saw it as a state of deep focus where a person is fully absorbed in an activity, losing track of time and self-consciousness. Daoist texts compare it to water, moving freely and adapting to all things. Zen practice speaks of a beginner’s mind, open and flexible, knowing that everything is always changing. To accept that all things have flow and ebb is to ride with it. In flow we find clarity and happiness.
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We’re developing more pieces and will share them when they are ready in 2026. The collection is available in our online store, and each piece is made to order in an edition of three.
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Felix Ng
Co-founder, Anonymous
@felix.anonymous