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Lyric Poster Series

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English letters against a dark background

Black Swan Lyric Poster (Black Feather version)

The phrase “What if that moment’s right now?” holds special significance to me because prior to making this poster, I had not designed in a year. I feared “that moment” — the moment of the artist’s death — had already come and gone. Yet having finished the poster, the words now hold a double meaning: What if that moment — the moment of renewal — is right now? Though abstract, the poster makes visual reference to swan feather down, a jagged horizon of ever-mounting challenges, and the night sky, the dark hour that invites such fears.
The word "Reflection"

Reflection Lyric Poster (Skyline version)

‘Reflection’ is an introspective song that RM wrote one night in Ttukseom, a riverside park in the middle of Seoul. He has explained that it’s a place he is drawn to when there’s a lot on his mind. Whenever I listen to this song – something about the intro – it’s like it changes the rhythm of my heartbeat and I’m pushed through into a different mental plane. I can see the bright cityscape doubled in river eddies, the darkening sky. I can smell the river murk. With this mood and setting in mind, I created a lyric poster to visualize ‘Reflection’.

Creator Statement

More examples of the artist’s work available on their tumblr.

Black Swan Type Poster – 24′ x 36′ // Black Feather version

BTS’s song “Black Swan” takes inspiration from Martha Graham’s quote: “a dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” As explained on Spotify, “The song lends voice to the band’s darkest fears — the music they do will one day cease to touch or move them.”

Using the lyrics of BTS, I wished to explore these themes in my own work.

이게 나를 더 못 울린다면
내 가슴을 더 떨리게 못 한다면
어쩜 이렇게 한 번 죽겠지 아마
But what if that moment’s right now
Right now”

The translation (kindly credited to doolset):

“If this can no longer make me cry
If this can no longer make my heart flutter
Perhaps, this will be how I die once
But what if that moment’s right now
Right now”

The phrase “What if that moment’s right now?” holds special significance to me because prior to making this poster, I had not designed in a year. I feared “that moment” — the moment of the artist’s death — had already come and gone. Yet having finished the poster, the words now hold a double meaning: What if that moment — the moment of renewal — is right now?

Though abstract, the poster makes visual reference to swan feather down, a jagged horizon of ever-mounting challenges, and the night sky, the dark hour that invites such fears.   Return to the top of the page

“대취타 (Daechwita)” Tabloid – 11′ x 17′ // Clean vers & Bloody version

I’m a king I’m a boss
다 알잖아 내이름
입만 산 새끼들
당장 놈의 목을 쳐

대취타 대취타 자 울려라 대취타”

Min Yoongi’s aesthetic explorations in Daechwita are extraordinary, fusing traditional Korean aspects with modern hip hop in a half-dozen different art disciplines: music, fashion, storytelling, dance, film, and more. This poster is my attempt to bring this exploration into the arena of typography.

Using traditional Korean typography styles (the online magazines from Mulgogi Publishing were indispensable reference materials), I added modern sans serifs and a certain “computer generated” flair. Developing a way of marrying vertical hangul type and horizontal English was an especially intriguing challenge.   Return to the top of the page

“Trivia 承 : Love” Type Poster – 24′ x 36′

널 알기 전 내 심장은 온통 직선뿐이던 거야

난 그냥 사람, 사람 사람
넌 나의 모든 모서릴 잠식
나를 사랑, 사랑, 사랑으로 만들어 만들어
…
I live so I love
(Live & love, live & love)
…
You make i to an o 
i to an o
…
넌 나의 사람, 사람, 사람
넌 나의 바람, 바람, 바람
넌 나의 자랑, 자랑, 자랑
넌 나의 사랑 (나의 사랑)”

“Trivia 承 : Love” comes at the midpoint of the LOVE YOURSELF 結 ‘Answer’ album, when infatuation has bloomed into a vibrant love. RM’s clever lyrics play with several multi-lingual typographical puns, an irresistible subject matter for a designer like myself.

To paraphrase for those who can’t read hangul: “Before you, I was just a 사람 (person). There were only straight lines in my heart (ㅁ). But you eroded all my edges (ㅇ). You made me into a 사랑 (love).”

RM often speaks in interviews about his desire to see his thoughts delivered sincerely to his fans. As a creator, I often wonder if my intentions can be felt in my work, whether that connection I seek is actually forged.

With “Trivia 承 : Love,” RM truly delivers his heart, and it’s my hope that this poster does too.   Return to the top of the page

“Reflection” Type Poster – 24′ x 36′ // River Murk vers. & Skyline version

세상은 절망의 또 다른 이름
나의 키는 지구의 또 다른 지름
나는 나의 모든 기쁨이자 시름
매일 반복돼 날 향한 좋고 싫음
…
I wish I could love myself”

“Reflection” is an introspective song that RM wrote one night in Ttukseom, a riverside park in the middle of Seoul. He has explained that it’s a place he is drawn to when there’s a lot on his mind. 

Whenever I listen to this song — something about the intro — it’s like it changes the rhythm of my heartbeat and I’m pushed through into a different mental plane. I can see the bright cityscape doubled in river eddies, the darkening sky. I can smell the river murk. With this mood and setting in mind, I created a lyric poster to visualize “Reflection.” 

The translation (courtesy of muish):

“The world is another name for despair
My height is another diameter of the world. (OR My musical note is another scream of the world)
I’m my whole happiness or my worries
It repeats every day, the love and hate directed at myself
…
I wish I could love myself”   Return to the top of the page

Suggested Citations

APA Citation

Freeman, R. (2020). “Black Swan” lyric poster series. The Rhizomatic Revolution Review [20130613], (1). https://ther3journal.com/.

MLA Citation

Freeman, Rachel. “‘Black Swan’ Lyric Poster Series.” The Rhizomatic Revolution Review [20130613], no.1, 2020. https://ther3journal.com/.

Creative Commons License
Lyric Poster Series by Rachel Freeman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.