Reeds of Forte

Installed as part of the type exhibition Finding Forte at designForum Wien in Austria.

It was discovered through a handwritten note that Karl Reißberger shaped Forte using inspiration from nature, specifically the movement of reeds lakeside in eastern Austria. As I researched these tall grassy plants, I was struck by how their mesmerizing sway created vast visual noise. These looming, feather-like structures formed a unique language as if they were whispering thoughtful, meditative phrases out over the water. This became the inspiration for my projection installation, Reeds of Forte. I wanted to return these letters to their origins by re-creating the typeface out of animated reed heads.

As the reeds sway and rustle in the wind, they align and reveal their letter forms, told in three original haikus written for Reeds of Forte.

Curator — Tom Koch
Location — designForum Wien
Technical Integration — Florian Prix and Claudio della Schiava

windswept reeds align
revealing momentary
featherform whispers

bantering of reeds
combine to be understood
in glimpses of time

else the right moment
forever saying something
nothing heard at all