Acculturation Display

The project investigates migration and the way it affects cultural identity and cultural blending around the world. Migration is responsible for the sharing of concepts, objects and values and it is increasingly common for people to relocate and bring their customs and values with them. It is bound to influence the behaviour, thoughts and approaches of both locals and the migrants in relation to the world.

My questions are focused around the ways migrants preserve their culture as well as integrate to the host country’s culture. This process is called acculturation and it is expressed in four ways: assimilation, rejection, deculturation or integration.

The process of acculturation is subjective and individual. How would letterforms look if they went through rejection? How about deculturation? Acculturation Display is a typeface that explores these questions through its letterforms.

Each glyph has been inspired by real testimonies of migrants. The typeface has 4 variants for each vowel, showing how acculturation is not a static process; immigrants constantly evolve, change and adapt to the culture surrounding them. As one may start their journey through rejection, it does not mean they will continue through that path. Therefore, it is essential for this project to be malleable, and allow change.