In Zhang’s poster she designed for the 2o15Harbin Design Week, the viewer is initially captivated by the contrast of the black and white of the poster, or the positive and negative spaces, creating balance in the composition. Then, the viewer begins to question what is the foreground and what is the background due to the ambiguity of the figure/ground relationship. Is the white space the positive space (figure) and the black space the negative space (ground)? Or is the black space the positive space (figure) and the white space the negative space (ground)? Texture also alludes that some of the shapes created are 3-dimensional or more in the foreground of the poster. These elements draw the viewer in to see that text is also incorporated throughout, appearing as shapes in the background or foreground, depending on the direction of the text, the alignment of the text, or even the spacing of the text. Cropping is used along the edges of the poster, creating a literal frame of the artwork while also cutting off shapes, creating sharp lines and abstraction of the shapes. All of the white and black elements combined with the text  frame  the most important details of the Harbin Design Week. The directional positioning of the black and white shapes move the eye about the poster and eventually, after covering all of the small print within the design, leading the title of the event, and the dates. Something also interesting about the presentation of the poster is that Zhang actually framed the poster within a frame, including a person holding up the poster. This creates even another 3-dimensional aspect to the poster presentation itself, which the viewer could even argue figure/ground once again about the piece. Overall, this piece effectively presents the material covered and Figure/Ground and Framing concepts in an interesting and typographical way.

Created by Emma (You) Zhang for Harbin Design Week 2015 Branding. Her work emphasizes her skills in modular type design.