Cloud Mountain Type: A Fusion of Eastern and Western Aesthetics

Meng Shenhui's Award-Winning Design Merges Traditional Chinese Landscapes with Western Typography

Meng Shenhui, a renowned designer based in Beijing, embarked on the Cloud Mountain Type project in 2016. The design was completed in 2021 in Shenzhen and has since been exhibited in New York, Berlin, and Seoul. The project's lengthy duration is a testament to Meng's dedication to the meticulous creation and refinement of this unique type design.

The Cloud Mountain Type is not merely a typeface but an artistic exploration of cultural fusion. Meng has seamlessly blended elements of traditional Chinese landscapes with Western characters, resulting in a design that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. The design's unique properties lie in its ability to evoke the grandeur of cloud-fog mountains, a common motif in Chinese landscape paintings, through the intricacies of Western typography.

Creating the Cloud Mountain Type was not without its challenges. Meng had to navigate the delicate balance between abstract and concrete, Eastern and Western, and form and function. The design's realization involved the use of Photoshop and Pixelmator software, as well as hand drawing, demonstrating Meng's versatility as a designer.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Cloud Mountain Type is its interaction with the viewer. As Meng explains, "When you stare at the details of the font, you even can’t recognize the letter itself, that is because you have already stand on the cloud-fog mountains." This statement encapsulates the design's ability to immerse the viewer in its landscape-inspired aesthetics, challenging their perception of form and meaning.

The Cloud Mountain Type's recognition as a Silver A' Design Award winner underscores its innovative and artistic merits. This prestigious award is given to designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise, innovation, and artistic skill, and the Cloud Mountain Type certainly fits this description. Meng's design not only showcases his technical prowess and creative vision but also contributes to the ongoing dialogue between Eastern and Western aesthetics in the world of design.