Observe & Quantify: Appreciation of the Fluidity

This is a project about intersection of data, storytelling, and visual aesthetics. It explores the nature of water — not just as a physical entity but as a concept that shifts between scientific, poetic, and abstract interpretations.

Final 9 RISO Prints and Poster

I have long been fascinated by geography — not just the memorization of places, but the way landscapes shift, how rivers carve through land over time, and how maps tell stories beyond just direction. Water is a paradox — it has no shape, yet it defines landscapes. My goal was to document and interpret waters through multiple lenses, from geographical mapping to scientific data visualization and experimental abstraction.

Meanwhile, the large-format poster serves as a geographic visualization of all water bodies in Boston, with differently sized circles representing their relative scale and significance. This allows for a macro perspective, showcasing the complexity and connections of waters in the city’s landscape.

Initial Attempt in Visualizing Different Water Bodies

Breaking Down the RISO Prints: Spy Pond & Fresh Pond

For each pond, I developed three distinct interpretations, resulting in two sets of three RISO prints:

1. Geographic Silhouette: Mapping Water’s Shape

By isolating each pond’s geographical contour, I created a minimalist yet precise silhouette, focusing on how these bodies of water exist as defined yet ever-changing forms in their environment.

2. Creative Typography: Water as Language

Water flows like spoken words, adapting, distorting, and reshaping itself. I have created type to go with the names and nature of these ponds.

3. Experiment with Photographs: Capturing Water’s Texture

Unlike maps or symbols, photography allows us to see water as it exists in a specific moment — light reflecting off its surface, ripples distorting the reflections, or the way it absorbs and scatters colors. I have combined and layered a few different images and converted into a monochrome piece.

RISO testing

Expanding on my exploration of water, I am creating three additional RISO prints that incorporate my Chinese background, blending traditional aesthetics with modern design. These prints explored water in Chinese ink painting, Daoist fluidity, and poetry-inspired visuals, adding a cultural depth to my documentation of water.

The Boston Water Map Poster: A City-Wide Perspective

Beyond focusing on two specific ponds, I wanted to step back and visualize Boston’s entire water system. The large-format poster achieves this by:

• Using circles of different sizes to represent all major water bodies in Boston, proportionally mapped to their real-world dimensions.
• Creating a minimal, yet data-rich visualization that highlights the role of water in shaping the city.
• Experimenting with layered ink techniques in RISO printing, allowing for overlapping transparency that mimics water’s ever-changing nature.
• Highlight the location where this poster is being exhibited, giving audience a sense of how they are surrounded by these waters in the Greater Boston Area.

Final Representation of the Poster

This project was an exercise in rethinking how I document and visualize water. By blending data, abstraction, and material experimentation, this work aims to capture water’s essence in ways that feel fluid yet structured, — just like water itself.