The above is a scan of a Japanese Newspaper: Asahi Shimbum. This piece of typography was chosen specifically because of its relation to readings from Week 4. Not knowing how to read the characters on the page, the message behind the text is almost meaningless had it not been for the juxtaposition with photography, advertisements at the bottom and the familiarity with the look and feel of newspapers.

Rhythms that exist on the page seem predominantly vertical reading from top-down assuming you are seeing this from western eyes. Stories or segments of text are divided and seperated by thin rules making the reading feel like modular boxes that fit into a jig-saw puzzle. The busy layout and volumn of information makes little distinctions to hierarchy and pacing. The density of characers and tight (leading?) has allusions to primitive engravings on the rosetta stone.

The very alien feeling that a westerner gets from reading a text such as this is one of overwhelming, confusion, and fascination.

—Brian Gerard Elicierto