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"linear continuity" Tag


UNIVERS REVOLVED


Tuesday, May 22, 2018

UNIVERS REVOLVED is a three-dimensional alphabet consisting of 26 letters. It was created by Korean artist Ji Lee as an attempt to challenge and question conventional reading methods. With the Latin alphabet as the starting point Lee revolves the existing letters around themselves in a 360 degree using a 3D modeling program until they become symmetrical ‘objects’ which the user can arrange to form words and sentences readable from left-to-right, right-to-left, top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top, as well as using them to build sculptures, buildings or furniture. His project ‘3-D Chess Board was created to “add an extra dimension of physicality to the game’s battle field.” Lee combines learning with play. On one hand he wants to challenge the linear way in which we perceive and on the other he seeks to add a playful perspective, turning two-dimensional letters into three-dimensional objects which you can build and create with. (More about the importance of play in learning and building is to be found in Johan Huizinga’s book Homo Ludens). Similar to Lee’s 3D alphabet, graphic designer and illustrator Karl Nawrot uses a playful approach too, where “geometrical forms don’t confine themselves to neither the constraints of two dimensional paper nor the responsibility of representing something else”. This can be seen in several of his works and typefaces including the Bauhaus Type 2012 ,  Ghost(s) Writer or Stencils etc.

11one_action

Example of words written with the typeface Universe Revolved

 

Karl Nawrot

Example of work by Karl Nawrot

Lee states that the linearity of reading, which we have adapted to as the reading standard, could be a possible limitation to extend our ability to perceive the world in different ways. While linearity offers a system to ease communication it also leaves out certain aspects for which our brains would be able to convey and interpret in their own ways. Linear means for something to be arranged in a straight, or nearly straight, line; a sequential progress of an order. An arrangement that provides the most ‘logical’ way to read, perceive and understand. Linear goes from A to B, B to C, C to D and so on. However there are plenty of examples of non-linear narratives as well. The early calligrams of Emil Bønnelycke and Guillaume Apollinaire, where written words are placed to form a visual image, to Tarantino movies where the scenes are jumping from one chapter to another and back again, almost resembling a circular structure. Although many mention-worthy novels, films and texts belongs in this category, it seems that linearity is reserved for formal matters whereas the non-linearity belongs to the narratives. And this exactly is what is so interesting about Lee’s Universe Revolved.

It could be that it’s either the linearity of which we learn or the mere lack of three dimensionality in most subjects such as literature, physics and mathematics that is the core problem. And if it’s applicable or not is hard to determine, as the linear methods do provide common ground for us to communicate and understand each other in the first place. Imagine if that was only the first step in the learning curve and that Lee and Huizinga’s ways of combining playing and learning was applied, not instead of, but in extend of this first step. Fora dyslexic or a person with dyscalculia it might be difficult to follow a course of which you have to make a logic sense out of a two-dimensional arrangement of letters or numbers, but if these subsets of alphanumeric had an actual, physical existence too, there would be a change for one to grasp, feel; sense these letters and numbers, not only for their logical purpose but for their potential as well. Take the Danish mega brand Lego for instance. The very name is a hybrid of the phrase ‘Leg Godt’ which translates to ‘Play Well’. The playfulness is incorporated in the very name, and though the various sizes and colors of the lego blocks don’t indicate a specific value, it’s possible for kids (and adults) to construct three-dimensional objects, letters, cities etc. in a way that makes sense for them.

For this research we have both made our separate attempts to interpret the Latin alphabet in a personal way. With tin foil and patience, WooRyun Song has created letters by grabbing and crumbling the foil into small, physical landscapes each one containing a different letter. Due to the chosen material it has reflective paths and shiny hills. When the letter A has been formed, you go to B, C, D until all letters has been given a physical existence. She then unfolded the roll of foil, stretching it slightly until it’s back to its two dimensional form. Using digital techniques, she made the last few steps to create a new font in this project called ‘From Plane to Line, From Line to Plane’, outlining the patterns and letter of the tin foil landscaped.

From-Plane-to-Line_1200       From Plane to Line, From Line to Plane

As for Sidsel Lehn Mehlsen, she used the video game Mine-craft (quite similar to the idea of Lego) to build sculptural letters in a virtual park. Inspired by Lee’s approach she revolved the letters around themselves, but unlike a full 360 degree the letters have only been extracted at 90 degrees angles, forming a cross when seen from above.

Skærmbillede-1_1200 Skærmbillede 2018-05-21 kl. 12.00.44

Skærmbillede 2018-05-21 kl. 11.59.05 Skærmbillede 2018-05-21 kl. 11.58.57

o————-> Are you in the right timeline???


Monday, April 18, 2016

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|-Observing a timeline, we can see it is partitioned into
|three parts: past, present and future. We have knowledge
|of the events that took place in the past and we
|experience those of the present and we cannot know what
|future holds for us. The same basis can be applied as far
|as books are concerned. The idea proposed, is based on
|the linearity of a timeline (it’s core structure).
|A library whose key principles are continuity and
|chronological order. A library filled with books from the
|beginning until now, and the rest empty, only to be filled
|with books in the future.
|
|–The clarification systems are reviewed periodically, so
|that they can adapt to the constantly changing environment,
|in which moves humanity, and be consistent with the
|developments taking place in the world. Both in terms of
|new phenomena (e.g. new fields of knowledge, new
|technologies and new political conditions) and for
|reviewing the old phenomena (e.g. elimination of prejudices).
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|
|—Past belongs to the past. “Quod periit, periit”, What
|has happened has happened and it cannot be changed.
|Nobody can write a book at the past. People, most of the
|times, want to relate, to identify themselves via dates
|and chronological order. One, remembers who he is and
|where he came from, his roots, his beginning and his
|present, through particular events that happened on
|specific dates. As far as art is concerned, a field
|where chronological cohesiveness plays a big role by
|itself, everything has to do with time. For example,
|regarding the authenticity or non-authenticity of an
|artwork; the sources which an art historian resorts to,
|show that a work belongs to a particular artist, or to
|identify the origin of the project, or the date of its
|creation, or in order to document whether an
|interpretation of other historians is or is not accurate.
|This linear chronological function shows us the process of
|knowledge methods of expertise, of knowledge regarding the
|use of materials, of production, of technical achievements,
|all conquered by man over time.
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|—-Helen Bakalo wrote in her book “Rhythms
|and Definitions of European Art, 1980″:
|“…The time in which events take place, seems
|immobilized; it has no fluidity at all. The clues
|that would reveal to us the continuously changing
|present do not exist. It is as if we recreate the
|past mentally, only after its registration in our
|consciousness, not like living it with our senses
|and partaking dramatically…”.
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|—–The systematic study of the past, based on
|chronological order, focuses primarily on human
|activity up to the present time. This study of
|events includes not only historical records, but
|also the causes that led to them. In addition to
|this, we appreciate more, objects that are old
|and damaged, as it is somehow believed that they
|are able to hide wisdom from another era. Using
|this kind of classification, we can derive
|information and details and not only a simple
|historical order. We can observe social issues,
|topics, problems, ideas which kept people busy at
|that specific period. Book binding, preference to
|covers, colors, font, topic, quality of paper,
|which decision took the graphic designer, even the
|number of published books, can give us a lot of
|information for the time period in examination.
|For example: During the 90’s, many libraries decided
|to withdraw many of their books because of an
|innovation, the internet. Later they regretted this
|decision but it was too late (another historical
|event of our timeline).
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|——It is not about an impersonal way of research.
|It is more of a personal matter. If, for instance,
|someone is interested in me, in finding information
|about me at a particular time period, that someone can
|just think about my date of birth
|(incidentally 19/05/1995) and discover many things about
|my childhood, the way that I grew up or even some of my
|habits and interests, drawing information from the input
|data of such a classification and getting to know what it
|was like growing up in those times. It is not only
|necessary to find and read ones biography, but also to
|understand the events that affected and developed that
|particular one.
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|——-All in all, the compatible “search” can be
|changed. We will not be lured just from a fancy title
|or a nice colorful book cover, in order to decide for
|a book. We will “search” based on how far we would like
|to dive into the past, the present, or to the presume
|of the future; based on our needs.
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|——–Note no1: This plan is working much better in a
|bigger scale. A small collection of books, for example a
|personal one, can depict obviously the taste and the
|development of a person, as a kind of a diary with thoughts.
|But in a bigger scale, this can be seen from an
|anthropological point of view and by many more aspects,
|as mentioned above.
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|———Note no2: A possible ergonomic solution could be
|the addition of the date of publication, on the spine of the book
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