Rilke's classic book encourages experiential wisdom and enlightenment of oneself. To seek truth, to understand the world, to engage with the world, and to create—what it means to be an artist. The design of the book was inspired by Zen, which is a form of meditation that favors direct self-realization. The illustrations and typography reflect the idea of this practice.
The challenge was to turn Rilke's 10 letters into a poetry format using typography, negative space, and hand-drawn ink illustrations to convey a meditative experience and state.