“Trueform” begins with a trace—the gluey residue left after a sign, notice, poster, or other piece of graphic communication has been peeled away. These remnants no longer speak, yet their presence endures. Lingering in silence, stripped of purpose, they begin to resonate in subconscious ways.
Designers often pride their works with the purpose of “problem solving”, believing — almost superstitiously — in the inherent value and function of their work, safeguarding clarity and legibility as if they were sacred dogmas.
When a design ceases to serve its purpose, the persistent and illegible residue left behind seems to embody these beliefs, as though they were magical spells or talismans cast by Taoist priests. Collected as photographs and reimagined into three-dimensional objects through both digital and manual processes, the aluminium reliefs subvert the systems of belief and value from which they emerged by asserting their own permanent presence.
The reliefs also act as the triggers for Trueform AR — an augmented reality layer that reveals a series of virtual 3D forms, generated using Stable Diffusion, spinning and floating in physical space. The juxtaposition of metal casting and generative AI reveals two processes that are both mythical and technological in nature.
Together, the physical and virtual Trueforms navigate the tensions between ideals and reality, craft and technology, slow transformation and automated efficiency. Beneath their surfaces lie multiple layers of abstract, “magical” visual paradoxes.
Studio Nopqrst is a London-based design practice founded by Hamlet Auyeung. Working across cultures, it transforms conceptual ideas into impactful visual communication that weaves together art, culture, design, and technology. With a collaborative and experimental approach, the practice pushes the boundaries of graphic, typography, motion, and image-making to bridge concepts, content, and audiences.
After gaining experience at renowned studios in Hong Kong and London, including Pentagram Design, Hamlet established his own practice to further explore the potential of visual communication through both client commissions and self-initiated projects.
Studio Nopqrst is particularly interested in blending digital and tactile media, challenging the perception of graphic design as static or stagnant, and raising questions about the value and purpose of the discipline in today’s context.