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Universal Museum Is a Myth

Book Design / Illustration
April 2024

Photograph of book
Text fragments
April 2024

This illustrated poetry collection spans 16 pages and is conceived as a work of book design that confronts the myth of the “universal museum.” Half of the book delves into the historical plunder of artifacts from four distinct cultures during the colonial era. It recounts how sacred items from the Tlingit were forcibly acquired at unjust prices; how the Parthenon was extensively removed using forged documents; how priceless artifacts in China’s Yuanmingyuan were destroyed by fire; and how the appalling Benin City massacre unfolded.

The remaining pages shift into abstraction, using visual structure, negative space, and poetic layout to explore what contemporary global museums can do for the nations and peoples once harmed—underscoring the urgency of cultural restitution.

The design philosophy behind this book seeks to reveal the layered injustices embedded within museum narratives. As relics of a colonial era, global museums must either evolve or fade. The “X” motif on the opening page marks this transformation—from a universal “+” to a definitive act of return. Through this design, the book calls for reverence, restoration, and a reimagined future rooted in mutual respect.