masters project workbook

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M a s t e r s P r o j e c tC a m e r o n T a y l o rWorkbookS t u d e n t nº1307119GDF752

Research: “the uncomfortable”.

My initial progress into the Master’s Project was that of

curiosity and change. I wanted to move away from the

very heavy theoretical based work that I had completed

in strategies for practice 1 and 2.

Wanting to move away from this I started by

moving back towards simple image making on

the most basic level. Using print as a medium I have

kept this focus on the structure of buildings. This gave

me inherent freedom and took my mind off of a certain

direction I was to go into. With this in mind I said in

my previous study plan that I would be looking into the

notion of style/form versus function. This is an interesting

and very broad topic that left me a large space whereby I

could produce work in this realm of thought.

Katerina Kamprani is a designer who’s taken this

argument of form versus function to its most basic

level of argument. She recently completed a project

named “The Uncomfortable” whereby she took everyday

objects and turned them into unusable objects. This

idea itself is so simple but the work itself is executed in

a manner whereby the visual communication of this idea

is understood immediately. These unusable objects have

direct meaning and show how minimal changes to an

object create problems instantly.

http://www.designer-daily.com/designer-imagines-worst-ever-user-experience-44210

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Katerina Kamprani

‘The Uncomfortable’

2014

Katerina Kamprani

‘The Uncomfortable’

2014

Research: “superdesk”.

Kamprani’s line of thought is interesting as the process

of this leads for simple answers to simple questions.

This in turn leads to an easier design solution perhaps.

Continuing with this direction playful outcomes can arise

from seemingly completed design objects.

The ‘Superdesk’ designed by architect Clive Wilkinson

is an example of this kind of playful thinking with design

objects. He created a continuous desk which spread

throughout an office space. “Clive Wilkinson designed the

new office for internet advertising company Barbarian

Group in New York City—the 23,000-square-foot space is

built around an amazing, 1,100-foot-long continuous table

that seats all of the 125 employees.”

The intent of creating this desk was to encourage

collaboration and communication within the office space

creating a large scale communal space.

This kind of design which brings interaction into a working

space is interesting as it is a purely physical interaction

amongst the desk and other people within the office. It’s

a brilliantly excecuted piece of design with numerous

opportunites formed from one object.

http://designtaxi.com/news/363763/An-Office-With-

Just-One-Table-That-Is-Long-Enough-To-Seat-All-125-

Employees/#.UwDIdZ_Wepc.facebook

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Clive Wilkinson

‘Superdesk’

2013

Clive Wilkinson

‘Superdesk’

2013

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Experiments: interaction.

Keen on focusing on a level of interaction without

necessarily building a physical object I returned to the

computer as a start point whereby interaction was held

in a sort of no mans land of space (the internet). This lead

me to think in a way by which humans are intent on giving

machine’s more humanity and turning the human more

machine-like. This level of interaction interested me as by

using sound and image we can form outcomes whereby

the interaction is controlled by the user.

Moving forward with this I focused on a program called

Quartz Composer which allows for simple audio, video

and computer based interaction to correlate with

image. This really interested me because the use of the

computer as a sort of link between the user and the final

outcome of the image. These two experiments (p.12 and

p.13) were mainly just tests using quartz composer but the

outcome has formed questions from which to progress.

The intention of using this software was to bring up

questions about the way we interact with the computer

and how it has become a critical tool for analysis, learning

and understanding. The audio reactive revolving cube

(p.12) is interesting as it does not only just react to music

but to people speaking, so when one laughs or shouts

it reacts directly to the scale of the cube. I find this

interesting as an idea and the visual style of it relates

again to this dialogue between style and function. The

overly abstract nature of the revolving shape is beautiful

but has no apparent connection to the function that it

creates. Can beauty overcome function? Regardless the

second experiment was again using audio input and video

input to create a blur when sound is detected. The video

itself is a live feed coming from the computer’s webcam

and every time a sound is detected a blur filter is applied.

In a way this simulates the focus that is required perhaps

while listening to someone and if that sound translates as

boring or not.

Experiments with Quartz Composer

Left: Audio reactive ever spinning cube

ÒRight: Video input and Audio input

linked create blur.

Research: visual style.

Interested not only in the intention of creating abstract

interactive design I am also interested in following this

mini side project that I have been continuing throughout

my MA studies. This project is that of the creating a visual

style through architecture. I feel that this is a necessary

release for me not only to be freely creative without

the bonds of having to work within a confinement of

subject but also to let my mind focus on other something

different other than this masters project.

The initial exploration began in Strategies for Practice 1,

whereby I began using lino cut prints to express these

visual styles created by architecture. This then evolved

into a mural being painted of a city with no people

and once people were in the gallery the city became

inhabited. This progression from print to mural really

solidified the idea itself but nonetheless I have continued

creating prints in a much more grided style. Concerning

myself with refining the visual style of these prints.

I enjoyed this route as the outcome had more weight

than the idea itself and is in contrast with what I have

been executing throughout my MA it juxtaposed in an

interesting way. I want to continue more work in this way

and recent examples can be found on the next couple

of pages. To portray my intent with the notion of visual

style Here are a select few artists in no particular order

which I think really bring value to the idea of a visual

style. Piet Parra is a Dutch artist/illustrator based in

Amsterdam who stands out as a visual communicator with

his work. Alex J Walker is another illustrator who uses his

visual style to produce visual effective communications(.

Contextualising my illustration would be the next step in

informing a visual communicative style.

Visual style is interesting as well with my intial idea to

focus on style versus function in all aspects of design.

These artists mainly produce flat work to be enjoyed

aesthetically or to understand the message that is being

portrayed.

15

Piet Parra

Image from studio

Poster for ‘it’s nice that’. 2012

Piet Parra

‘ Vaso di Culo’ produced in collaboration with CaseStudyo

http://www.casestudyo.com/

17

Alex J Walker

‘Wired’ editorial illustration.’Media Section’. 2014

Alex J Walker

‘Men’s Health magazine’. Editorial illustration. ’Synchronised’. 2014

‘Esquire’. Editorial illustration.‘10 ways to boost your workout’. 2013

19

Peter Judson

‘Town Planning’ Illustration. 2013

‘Plumbing’ Illustration. 2013

Experiments: exploring visual style.

From this visual research into style I have produced

recent work which are A0 lino prints concerning myself

with the progression of the notion of a city. I had a

tutorial with Marion Morrison concerning this line of

work that I have been doing and she explained to me

that in a sense producing decorative outcomes can be

quite introspective and not very full in terms of idea

generation. Wanting to produce that communicates

a message I am interested in producing these city-

scapes into a 3D environment or perhaps mural painting

concerning abandoned buildings or scaffolding around

buidings. In this dimension the work itself has a lot

more depth to it perhaps making a comment about the

situation of a building. The 3D aspect of this could be

interesting, using a 3D printer to achieve this element

of a 3D environment is a nice change from the very flat,

decorative images that I have produced.

As part of this process I produced new prints regarding

the form of architecture. This time round whilst

producing this lino cut print I grided the lino and decided

to use a much more controlled way of producing a print

(p.21). The outcome was interesting and it made me

think of grid systems in general whilst printing. I think the

further I look into griding linos the more different the

outcomes will become using complicated grids to create

concise and though out imagery.

From this forage into grids and Marion’s idea of venturing

into the 3D world I managed to access a 3D printer

and produced a town similar to the shapes used in my

prints(p.22). This outcome was interesting but very pricey

so I would have to think of different means in order to

continue with this idea of producing a 3D environment

out my illustrations.

Experiments: typographic architecture.

From the 3D printing I’m interested in creating a sculpture

out of my illustrations. Following this 3D route I’m taking

I took to creating reworks of famous architectural

monuments just as general play to see if anything was to

come of it. I think the outcomes are interesting and work

fairly well in a visual way they get the message across

as structures perhaps not architecture as such. These

reworks are meant to have the same effect that a remix

of a song has. Taking the original image and reintegrating

it into a different environment. I’ve only produced three

so far because I’m cautious of how effective they may be.

I think this has legs though as it’s quite similar to Duane

Dalton’s ‘Album Anatomy’ and his exploration into the

art of reduction (p.28-31). In this he uses his personal

response to an album of his choice and represents that

response using a strict grid where all the album details are

portrayed. They are effective and work nicely as a set.

Furthermore I want to explore the use of typography in

these kind of settings and how effective it can be. Using

an abstract simple grid to organise the information about

the buildings these represent, the letters almost become

part of the set which is interesting. I don’t think it’s overly

effective apart from the Barbican one as the information

manages to sit in the grid perfectly. I do like this concept

and maybe by creating a less wacky grid the final outcome

would look more interesting. I will continue with these

experiments as I find them fun to create as well as lending

itself nicely to information and work I’ve created prior to

this with my print work.

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Villa Savoye rework.

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P A

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France

Arc du Triomphe rework.

Arc Du

Trio mphe

P A

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France

27

Barbican rework

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Duane Dalton

‘Album Anatomy’

Kavinsky

31

Duane Dalton

‘Album Anatomy’

The Chemical Brothers

Duane Dalton

‘Album Anatomy’

Hot Chip

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Duane Dalton

‘Album Anatomy’

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX

Research: Felix Pfaeffli + Duane Dalton.

Following up the mini experiments into reworking

architectural monuments and Duane Dalton I began

venturing into the realm of illustrative and decorative

design and I came across the work of Felix Pfaeffli who

is a Swiss designer. His imagery is interesting and is

executed in a very pristine manner. I feel as though his

work emulates the idea of fearless creativity whereby

he makes a poster for an event and the event is then

essentially branded with this poster.

This kind of work focuses a lot on the visual identity of

a poster and I find that this is generally hard to achieve

but Pfaeffli’s work succeeds in that. It is reminiscent of

international style and Armin Hoffmann’s work with a

modern twist. The intention of this kind of research is to

find something whereby my designs can answer the same

problem that it has seem to have caused. Because of its

decorative nature it does not serve anything else but an

image whereby people observe it.

Research: toy design.

Intent on portraying a certain style with an aspect of

functionality is my final goal. I have developed the style

part of this through my illustration work and I know need

to form this crossover in order to create something that

has a perfect balance of the two.

With the 3D printed model I could see a new outcome

forming other than me creating a visual. I saw the

possibility of creating mini sculptures, chocolates or even

toys. This playful aspect could help bring my work out this

very stale state that it seems to be in at the moment.

With the idea of creating toys I want to go back to

Case Studyo who produced some toys for the artist

Andy Rementer called “People Blocks”. These “People

Blocks” are characters designed by Rementer and are

interchangeable with each other. This idea sort of brings

the notion of style and function closer together.

Developing styles that essentially begin in a very flat 2D

state into the physical realm is what I want to focus on

more.

With this I could see my illustrations of buildings

progressing in the same way perhaps having set pieces

that are independent of each other that can lead to

the user having control of where they put them. This

style of having essentially a blank canvas and allowing

the interaction between product and user to give the

product value. Another example of this is the “Munny

Toy”(p.40) produced by limited edition toy designer’s

‘Kidrobot’. This idea is interesting as it’s sort of a call to

open source playing. I’m unsure if they would work in the

same way as “People Blocks” or “Munny” as they seem

quite stagnant as vessels for creativity and don’t really

offer a direct outcome as a durable toy. LEGO is a great

example of a durable toy that defies time essentially and

that everyone has a connection with because it has a

solid design platform which can add current themes to it.

http://www.kidrobot.com/

http://www.casestudyo.com/

Andy Rementer

“People Blocks”

2013

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Andy Rementer

“People Blocks”

2013

Kidrobot

“Munny”

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Kidrobot

“Munny”

Painted by ‘Cacodaemonia’

Experiments

I need to think more about the intentions of what I want

to create and try to focus on how to bring this notion

of style and function together. Once I find this I think

my work will progress accordingly and become much

stronger.

Other than this I have been messing around with the

notion of structure as well creating grid systems on

Processing and creating simple outcomes which focus on

alignment and play with that idea too. Understanding this

use for grids in order to make something look contained.

These experiments are essentially taking the minimal

aspects of how a straight square grid and pushing the

boundaries of how the overlapping of circles can produce

abstract outcomes. I’m not too happy with them to be

honest, because they don’t involve typography. I want

to focus a bit on the introduction of typography in my

experiments and see how far I can push it.

Here’s the code I wrote to achieve this.

size(800,800);

noStroke();

background (255,255,255,0);

float x = 0;

while (x < width) {

float y = 0;

while(y < height) {

fill(random(00), random(0),random(255), random(100));

ellipse(x + 10,y + 10,70,70);

y = y + 40;

}

x = x + 15;

}

save(“overlap13.png”);

Research: Wolfgang Weingart

Wolfgang Weingart is a graphic designer and typographer

who is seen as the godfather of New Wave and Swiss punk

typography. Coming through with Armin Hoffman and Emil

Ruder he deviated from the constraints of International

Style and Swiss typography that was being produced at

the time. His experimental and expressive approach to

typography created a very interesting style that formed

the foundations for New Wave design and maybe even

postmodernism within the realms of graphic design.

Weignart’s work is very interesting and quite relevant

to the progression I’ve made throughout my Masters.

I looked at the relationship between architecture and

design as does Weingart. His use of type to create

abstract imagery also interested me and the use of

letterpress in an unconventional manner to produce

more visual prints using typography rather than

communicative pieces.

With this I decided to take my work in a more typographic

direction focusing on the message that type can bring but

also the strong imagery it can produce.

Wolfgang Weingart, Weingart: Typography -My Way to Typography, Lars Muller Publishers, 1999, Switzerland.

Wolfgang Weingart

“My Way to Typography”

1999

Experiments: re-visualising time.

Rather than researching various styles I could explore I

am always drawn to a very ethereal side of design. I want

to pick up the notion of impossible design and visualising

the invisible for example. I attempted this last year with

gravity and now I want to with time. Initially I wanted to

create a blend of the lino printing I had been undertaking

as a side project to all my current experimentation and

work being produced throughout my masters. I wanted to

prouduce 24 different lino cuts of different cities situated

in different time zones throughout the world. This would

therefore produce a visual standpoint whereby time could

visualised all over the world through these 24 different

images. In creating this idea it felt very shallow and I

attempted one A1 lino print of it (right) and soon realised

that the idea had to have more depth behind it.

Upon this realisation and new direction of exploring time

many ideas relating to relativity and other metaphysical

problems began popping up. I had been reading Slavoj

Zizek’s book ‘The Event: Philosophy in Transit’ which

explores some interesting ideas based upon the notion

framing and that of framing the event. The notion of

time is self is a man-made construct whereby we have a

quantified the passing of events with numbers so we as

one unit can all work universally. This realisation that time

is essentially incomprehensible is interesting because we

seem to put so much of our value on the basis of time.

With relativity it deems that space and time are

connected and that time itself is merely events

happening that we processed to have passed while

present or absent.

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Cam Taylor

‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print.

2014

Time as a universal man made entity is interesting

because with the progression of humanity and technology

it’s allowed time to become an ever more important part

of our lives. Researching into chronemics (the study of

time and nonverbal communication) the importance of

time in the modern world made the notion concrete. In

chronemics it separates time into two systems: mono

chronic time, which is the quantification of time into

seconds, minutes, hours etc and adhering to these rules

of time. A poly chronic time system is where many things

are allowed to happen at once and the importance of

managing time is not as present as mono chronic. These

different systems allows the observation of how different

cultures may value time and by which essentially form

stereotypical ways of living.

The ideation of time itself is so important to the world

because of the way people succeed financially or able to

move forward with their lives etc.

I’m interested by time and it’s ability to diversify itself

across different platforms in the way we interpret it. We

have a cultural way of looking at time (chronemics), a

religious way (linear aspects of time) and a very scientific

method of understanding time. These 3 ways of discussing

time allows for a more rounded view of not time itself but

of how humanity and the consciousness seems to work.

It seems the closer you look at the it the less there is to

look at .

On the following pages are some experiments executed

with the intention to explore the way we perceive time. As

such these are merely ideas but it has helped me solidify

the idea that time is a man made object if I am able to

convey the message of time through imagery.

Experiments: typographic time.

Cam Taylor

‘Carthe’ Linocut A0 print.

2014

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‘Signifier’s of time’

Typographic experiments

As mentioned previously time is a man made perception

whereby it made into a quantifiable procedural entity

so we (humans) can work as a unit without constraints.

This is good on the level of interaction but this does

not define what time is. The perception of time is a very

interesting idea where one must struggle to understand

the definition of quantifying time. Visualising time is

something that is impossible as it cannot be contained in

a certain frame as it is always changing. The beauty of this

is that time is the period of conscious understanding that

humanity has, as long as one is alive. “Time and space are

modes by which we think and are not conditions in which

we live.” - Albert Einstein

All these entites that are near impossible to comprehend

scientifically like time, gravity, consciousness and our

mere existence all become relative. In an idea put forward

by Jeff Liebermann (scientist, engineer and artist) he

talks of an idea of a psuedo-conscience being inside the

mind leading us to use the future and past as areas

whereby high levels of negative thought lies. Being

anxious for our future might hold and looking to gain

fullfilment out of things that could happen. Using the

past as a tool of regret and nostalgic discourse. If we

disconnect ourselves from this kind of thinking and look

at the human body in an objective scientific way we see

that we are only made up of trillions of cells and past

that even more atoms, but once see past atoms we are

nothing but energy. Energy that has been present since

the beginning of the universe and that will be present

past the lives that we live. This idea that we are all part of

this continuous energy that flows as a constant regardless

of whether we live or die is interesting and is essentially

spiritual enlightenment.

This tangent is to show the intent and perhaps flawed

view of how we percieve time. The notion of decay and

progression and where the fin line is concerning future,

Research: perception of time.

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past and present.

The ways that time affects us not only temporally but

psychologically is very interesting. Believing that things

hold more value over time or don’t. This is the perception

of time on a shallow level but it relates to the way we

think as humans as well.

Concerning myself with trying to visualise time has

become an interesting power struggle whereby the

ontological values of time and trying to understand them

objectivley rather than subjectivley, has made me move

towards more aesthetic/shallow driven outcomes. Moving

away from thinking of time and consciousness I began

delving into the notion of time and space relativity.

From what I understand of the theory of relativity put

forward by scientist Albert Einstien is that space and time

are linked and that gravity affects time (put simply). After

some thorough research I found it very hard to wrap my

head around this but was open to its ideas nonetheless.

In terms of seeing how the perception of time was

managed in relativity I came across the idea of a ‘light

cone’. Encompassed along with the notion of spacetime

and relativity created by Einstein and Minkowski the

light cone was a description of describing how an

observer might perceive time as a passing of an event.

This happening is described in relation to space as well

concerning the movement of light in relation to how

we observe it. On the following pages is a visual which

describes this idea in a more simple way.

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxCambridge-Jeff-

Lieberman-on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_cone

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-experience/

Research: light cones.

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Concerning myself with this idea of light cones, I took

it in a different way than intended. I saw this as an

interesting way whereby the signification of an event

made the realisation of time happen. In this moment of

the present there is a pinnacle area not quantified by

seconds, minutes or hours but a state of consciousness

which allows for the observer to be 100% present. This is

what interest me is deeply as this is a visualisation of time

which manages to alleviate itself from the constraints of

consciousness and looks more at how future, present and

past are linked rather than separate.

In turn my investigation into this very theory heavy

almost spiritual way of thinking has allowed me to find a

visualisation of time which is appropriate and that can be

translated nicely through the vessel of graphic design.

I want to portray this idea of the light cone in a book.

Whereby the two cones connecting in the middle to form

the present. I want to relief cut this so there will be an

empty void within the book (an example of what I meant

by relief cut). Using the book as a tool in order to

describe the light cone works perfectly I find and will

allow for a very interesting final image.

In terms of executing this idea, it might become difficult.

I have ordered paper and I now need to work out

dimensions and the maths in order for this too work. All

the circles to form the void inside the book will have to

be laser cut so this might take up some of my time. I plan

for my masters project to be a collection of experiments

which revolve around the notion of impossible design

(time, consciousness, existence etc) or visualising the

invisible. I touched upon this investigation throughout

my BA degree but I feel more confident to produce final

outcomes in this manner now.

‘Light Cone’ diagram

Anna Mincho

‘book of dimensions’

CSM graphic design degree show 2010.

The idea of my light cone book allows for a narrative

to take place without image or text. This can be

achieved purely on the basis of how we perceive time

chronologically or in a linear fashion. With the notion

of light cones and applying it to the book is that the

interaction is based upon the idea. As the pages turn the

closer you get to the point of now. In can be seen as a

sculptural piece which should stay at the point of now or

a progressive documentation of how we perceive time.

In terms of taking this idea out of context with relativity,

I did this is in order to find a way of understanding time

differently as to how we are taught. Linear and cyclical

time are the two which we find most common in as linear

is the notion of 24 hours, 60 minutes, 60 seconds etc

which is the easiest way to maintain order within our

scoiety. Cyclical time is a very religious stand point on

time, thinking that there must be a start and and end. A

good example of this is was the ancient civilization of the

Mayans in South America forged a calendar that said the

world will end on the 21st of December 2012. It didn’t.

This is an example of this notion of cyclical time that we

have as well. I want to challenge this perception and ask

questions of this. As my research into time will progress

more experiments will arise to show the context of time in

different areas of life.

Research: time, continued.

In light of the aesthetic way my light cone will look I’ve

researched into ways this could be done and it seems like

laser cutting it to get a more precise cut will be the only

way. In terms of how it might look like or essentially trying

to find visual reference to what this book might look like a

friend of mine put me onto an artist called Bianca Chang

who’s paper sculptures are absolutely stunning. They

use a very well known medium in a very unconventional

way, Using minimalist ideals and visuals in her approach

to creating a final piece each finished artwork is a

mathematical and visual masterpiece.

I’m looking for this very seamless organic shape to arise

from the light cone throughout the book. The sculptural

form that paper takes on is very interesting I find and

using the book in a different way which still instils the

notion of a narrative is exciting. These works lie within the

sort of typographic, minimalist area of design using very

graphic shapes and movements to arrive at outcomes.

http://www.biancachang.com/

Research: Bianca Chang

As I have one experiment undergoing completion I have

decided to produce more work and research as a means

to progress my initial framework of working. As I have

done a lot of research concerning heavy subjects over

the past year I have taken the master’s project a bit

lighter in terms of research and used it as a means to

produce more visual work. Along with the idea of my light

cone book I have been producing abstract outcomes that

correlate more to how time could be perceived without

the quantifiable measurements like seconds, minutes

and hours. More as a graphic documentation to how time

feels in certain situations. I feel as well by visualising

these ideas in a typographic perhaps more graphic way it

will help me deduce what my build a body of work which

has a larger scope than that of time only.

On the right is a the visualisation of the interior of a light

cone, the visualisation of an event.

On p.66 is a minimalist approach to representing the light

cone with some rough visuals concerning time dilation

and the idea of gravity affecting time. Following these

more current experiments to do with relativity and space

time I have produced some more lino prints trying to

work the idea of impossible design into these. I want to

produce 5 prints to coincide with my light cone book.

These prints will work in the idea of impossibly geometric

shapes along with the city-scapes I have been producing

throughout the year.

Experiments: spacetime & impossible design.

Phillipe Decrauzat is a Swiss artist who’s work really

resonated me whilst producing visuals in correlation to

time dilation. His clean cut graphic style and emphasis

on form allows for multiple meanings to seep out of his

work. I especially to a liking the pieces (‘Lanquidity’) on

the right. It’s essentially life size aesthetic driven graphics.

I thought the linear wave pieces linked in quite well with

the notion of space time and event signification with

the unforeseeable future always moving and changing.

Decrauzat’s clever use of creating pieces that look like

they’ve been conceived in a digital medium and bring

them into the physical realm also attracted me to them

as well.

After seeing this kind of work I really feel the need to

execute my light cone book as Decrauzat’s outcomes

work so well on a larger scales or even the cross over

from these very cold linear pieces they have a certain

humility about them because they have been produced

physically and hand rendered.

http://www.praz-delavallade.com/artists/Philippe_

Decrauzat/selected_works.html

Research: Phillipe Decrauzat.

Jan Baetens is a Belgian photographer/professor who

wrote a book called “Time and Photography”. This book

contains many essays talking of the relation between

image and time. Mostly focused on photography and

showing the differences of and similarities of how

time and space seem to engulf photography, there

are interesting ideas based in here. “The more you

press on space, the more the notion of time will return

with a vengeance...” (p.7, Time and photography, Jan

baetens,Leuven university press, Belgium, 2004?) this

observation has served quite true throughout my

research as one seems to need to the other to work.

Another interesting query in this collection of essays is

David Green’s investigation into the temporal aspects of

minimalism and how time is an ever present entity that

forms the aesthetic and ideological base for minimalism.

He goes on to say that the photo documentation of

minimalist works cause a problem whereby the

line is blurred between the image and an image of that

image. What becomes more prominent, the piece itself

or the image of that piece? This is an interesting idea

I find. As with the documentation of work the image is

sometimes thought differently to that of the photo of

that image.

After discussing my ideas about time with Ronnie he put

me onto this book which contained some interesting

ideas on how time and image work together. He talks of

how time can be directly represented within the image,

as photographs represent “slices of time”. The discussion

that seem to arise in the second part of ‘Time and

Photography’, “ReturningTime/Memory/Order” is about

this notion of “slices of time”. The temporality that we

struggle to find in our memories seem to be fixed in the

image that has documented this area of time. Baetens

quotes Roland Barthes saying that “cameras... were

clocks for seeing” this sentence is very interesting as

Research: Jan Baetens.

p.10

75

almost reaffirms the idea of what an image is or what it

isn’t. The notion of the image is that of a snapshot in time,

a period where we cannot go back to, a mere memory

which can document a time and become timeless.

Another way of think about the image and photography is

in a more subjective way perhaps, allowing for the image

to perhaps dictate what may happen in the future by not

strictly just taking an image of what is naturally there, but

by altering the image of the world we have to portray

something that isn’t there.

This temporal shift within photography is very interesting

as it can occupy all aspects of time. In relation to the idea

of the light cone book. I find that the inherent sense of

freedom within photography and time and the control on

a visual level can relate to the idea of a light cone. The

light cone is not a method of foreseeing the future but

more an image to help understand the notion of time

without seeing it on a clock and the way Barthes puts the

use of cameras in relation to time solidifies that idea.

The idea of the narrative within past, present and

future is very prominent as this is the foundation of

story telling essentially. The idea of progression within a

narrative and time is also another more theoretical way of

understanding the use of photography. This though is also

present within the idea of my light cone book as there is

potentially a crossover between past, present and future.

I think this will form a simple and effective way of not

understanding time but perhaps realising there are other

ways to feel and see time.

The event and time is a prominent feature within this

research and the attempt to visualise this. In relation to

this research there are some beautiful photographs by

photographer Fong Qi Wei which attempt to tackle this

idea of a temporal shift within photography.

‘underconstruction magazine’

In terms of temporal relation and how that impacts the

notion of the image, we live in a world now where our

awarness of visual culture is flooded by different mediums

with the internet, magazines, video games, television,

social media and other virtual and real experiences. In

this world “images are promiscuous, shaking off loyalty to

original context and moving freely from screen to screen,

eyeball to eyeball. Such virally circulating free agents

of visual language wield a potent ability to influence

perception, collapse time and distance, trigger reactions

and hold sway over our psyches” (p.202)

This dissemination of visual culture and image seems to

allow for time, distance and other related entites to fade

and portray the true nature of the image rather than

worry about the context of it. This implication can be

positive or negative allowing for more knowledge to be

acquired withouth much effort into understanding. I’m

talking generally but this idea is interesting as we are now

flooded with information everyday, we have very little

time to think to ourselves or take that in.

This idea of context in relation to the image fits in quite

nicely with what I was researching in Strategies for

Practice 2 and post-structuralism. This level we are at

now in decontextualising information is blurring the line

of what natural categories are. “Post-structuralism’s

emphasis on the openness of meaning has been

incorporated by many designers into a romantic theory of

self expression: as the argument goes, because

signification is not fixed in material forms, designers and

readers share in the spontaneous creation of meaning.”

This sentence solidfies what is being said about the

dissemination of visual culture be it photography,

design, art or architecture, we have arrived at a level of

interaction and communication where everything is

Research: time, space and context.

Ellen Lupton (2014) Deconstruction and Graphic Design

- Ellen Lupton Available at http://elupton.com/2009/10/

deconstruction-and-graphic-design/

(Accessed 28 January 2014)

FOAM magazine, issue #38, ‘Underconstruction - New

positions in American photography’,Betapress, Netherlands,

2014.

77

possible and fast. So has this new wave of communication

sort of paved the way for this deconstructivist idea to

take place? I believe so, there will always be a need for

structure but these new mediums by which we obtain

information (internet, social networks, smart phones etc)

become new structures with different ways of acquiring

information. The epistemological values that were once

set in stone through education are being tested I find.

For example with visual platforms on the internet such as

instagram, tumblr and pinterest have let large amounts

of people access information and images that they

would not know about without it. As in you encounter it

because someone else likes it. This method of acquiring

knowledge is on a very shallow level as people take an

image on an aesthetic level through these platforms.

The decontextualisation allows for these very image/

knowledge based platforms to become suspended in a

temporal time frame where past and future don’t really

matter as the image is being seen in the present

regardless of where the image comes from. That causes

another problem ontologically as all the photos and

information on these websites are set in the past as they

have been posted in the past but are constantly being

seen for the first time by users in present time.

“Images must be explained or told, because as with

every mediation between man and the world, they are

subjected to an internal dialectic. They represent the

world to man but simultaneously interpose themselves

between man and the world (“vorstellen”). As far as they

represent the world, they are like maps; instruments

for orientation in the world. As far as they interpose

themselves between man and the world, they are like

screens, like coverings of the world.”(p.92)

(Flusser, V., Novaes, R. and Zielinski, S. (2013). Post-

history. 1st ed. Minneapolis, MN: Univocal.)

Investigating temporal fluxations within contemporary

culture is interesting as the relation between the two is so

strong and important. Looking at time in a non scientific

way is refreshing as well and by looking at the two from

both angles there’s a correlation between epistemological

understanding and time. They are both man made entities

which crossover to produce history essentially.

Vilém Flusser was a 20th century Czech philosopher who

focused predominantly on ontological problems relating

to the image and photography. His work discussed the

relation between the image, photography and history in

an ontological manner. By reading extracts of his book

“Post History” in a chapter called ‘Our Images’ he talks

about the dialogue that appears between image and text

and how one explains the other. He argues that Western

society is separated into two levels; that of the illiterate

(who live magically) and the literate (who live historically).

This can be seen as the level of image and text.

“The invention of the printing press and the increase

of general literacy through compulsory schooling

dramatically modified this dialectic. Texts became cheap

and accessible, first to the bourgeoisie and then the

proletariat. Historical consciousness became accessible

to Western society as a whole and was superimposed

onto magical consciousness. Images were expelled from

everyday life into the “baux-art” ghetto. Historical images,

and above all the scientific ones, became unimaginable.

Texts became “purely conceptual.” Thus texts betrayed

the intention that created them: they no longer explained

or demythologized images. They were no longer de-

alienating and started to follow their own internal

dynamic, which is the linearity of the discourse.”(p.93)

This extract highlights what I’ve been trying to explain

in this area of research. Revolving perhaps around the

notion of time concerning the image, if we compare it

with text, there is a shift between the two.

Research: Vilém Flusser

79

“Texts, as all other mediation, including images, obey

an internal dialectic. They represent the world and

conceal the world, they are instruments to orient but

form opaque walls in libraries.” With the linearity of the

discourse, text lost it’s function and allowed for man to

act in function of text. An example of this are political

ideologies. The inversion of the link between text and

man sums up our last stages of history. “Thus historical

consciousness gradually lost the ground that supports

it, the contact that the texts establish with the world of

concrete experiences.”(p.94)

After this statement Flusser then proceeds to talk about

the invention of photography and proclaims that the

different mediums that came with photography such

as video, films, holograms etc allowed for turning the

messages of texts imaginable. He calls this the ‘technical

image’ which allows text to become what it was originally

intended to do.

“Texts were originally aimed against images, in order to

turn them transparent for our concrete lived experience,

with the aim of freeing humanity from hallucinatory

madness. Technical images have a similar aim: they drive

against texts with the aim to turn them transparent for

our concrete lived experience, in order to free

humanity from conceptual madness”. (p.94)

This deconstruction essentially of how image and

text correlate with one and other. Using history and

photography as a medium Flusser has essentially shown

how time and mostly progression affect how culture is

transpired. This off shoot of research is interesting and

does not directly link to time but is another way by which

can be looked at in a more historical way in which we can

relate too, other than describing how time is not linear,

cyclical or in anyway controllable. The man made entitiy

that is time has allowed for progression in humanity to be

documented chronologically.

Jan Baetens is a Belgian photographer/professor who

wrote a book called “Time and Photography”. This book

contains many essays talking of the relation between

image and time. Mostly focused on photography and

showing the differences of and similarities of how

time and space seem to engluf photography, there

are interesting ideas based in here. “The more you

press on space, the more the notion of time will return

with a vengeance...” (p.7, Time and photography, Jan

baetens,Leuven university press, Belgium, 2004?) this

observation has served quite true throughout my

research as one seems to need to the other to work.

Another interesting query in this collection of essays is

David Green’s investigation into the temporal aspects of

minimalism and how time is an everpresent entity that

forms the aesthetic and ideological base for minimalism.

He goes on to say that the photo documentation of

minimalistic works cause a problem whereby the

Research: Fong Qi Wei

The notion of entropy is based around physics and

the laws of thermodynamics. What is interesting about

entropy is that it requires a direction of time which allows

for the decreasing of quality of energy. To understand

this we have to get a grasp of thermodynamics.

Thermodynamics is the branch of physical science that

deals with the relations between heat and other forms

of energy (such as mechanical, electrical, or chemical

energy), and, by extension, of the relationships between

all forms of energy. Having previously looked at this

notion of decay in energy in my undergraduate studies,

I came across Erwin Schrodinger who wrote ‘What is

Life?’ which is essentially a deconstruction of life and the

living organism throught the lens of a physicist. Having

revisited this a lot to get through and a struggle to fully

comprehend. In the televsion series ‘Wonders of the

Universe’ presented by Professor Brian Cox he portrays

this information a little more simpler.

He states that using entropy or the second law of

thermodynamics (an expression of the fact that over

time, differences in temperature, pressure, and chemical

potential decrease in an isolated physical system, leading

eventually to a state of thermodynamic equilibrium) we

can see that the universe is gradually falling apart due

to the lack or ordered or useful energy. Time and the

amount of ordered energy being produced eventually are

transferred into heat but this lack of useful energy (heat)

leads the universe towards absolute zero or death. This

has been happening since the beginning of time and this

paradox of the universe falling apart and dying whilst living

organisms undergo several thousand stages of evolution is

astounding. Through the second law of thermodynamics

though this paradox is somewhat solved. Living organisms

take in this ordered or chemical energy (from the sun for

example) and transform it into heat a disordered energy.

But because the conversion levels of chemical energy

into heat are so high (humans generate 6000 times

Research: entropy.

Wonders of the Universe, Brian Cox, BBC, 2011

What is Life?, Erwin Schrodinger ,Cambridge University Press,

New York, USA, 1967

Pauken, M. (2011). Thermodynamics for dummies. 1st ed.

Hoboken, NJ: Willey publishing, Inc.

85

more energy per kilogram than the sun) life out does the

gradual destruction of the universe.

This idea of entropy or equlibrium that is formed in order

for life to live due to the transfer of different kinds of

energy is interesting. Taking thie notion of decay and

progression and the temporal aspects that come with

them both, entropy and thermodynamics is an interesting

way to portray that the need for something to decay so

that porgression may take place be it physically, mentally

financially etc. Thermodynamics shows this notion on a

different level of human understanding, comprehending

the potential death of the universe and that we thrive in

it now due to the transference of disordered energy, is

mind blowing.

This is all happening along an arrow of time that is forever

moving and the eventual demise of the universe will come

but not for billions of years. I find this equlibrium within

this elongated arrow of time relevant to how insignifcant

this makes the relationship that we have with time on

earth. Our lives are follow this same path perhaps of

progression and decay that entropy allows in the universe

but on a much more basic level. We have externalities

which are apparent within our lives which is what we

derive meaning of to live but on a much more basic level,

we function on the basis of the transference of energy

and the reogranisation of it. We can link this to Jeff

Lieberman’s idea (p.58-59) about the statement he makes

that we are all part of this continuous energy that flows as

a constant regardless of whether we live or die. This basic

view on how to view life outside of our conscious mind is

hard to grasp but interesting nonetheless.

Slavoj Zizek is a Slovenian philosopher, culture critic and

psychoanalyst. In his book ‘The Event’ he discusses the

notion of an event and the ramifications of this in relation

to reality. His discussions mainly look at the idea of an

event in an ontological way, using modern examples such

as novels and films to portray this outcome.

“This shift in our undersranding of motion, from impetus

to inertia, changes the very basic mode of how we relate

to reality. As such, it is an event: at its most elementary,

event is not something that occurs within the world, but

is a change of the very frame through which we perceive

the world and engage in it.”(p.10)

This general overview of how the event is perceived

through our own reality rather than this universal

happening. There would be no event without us. I’m

delving into his ontological view on the event because

I feel it is an interesting way to sort of merge all the

research I’ve been calibrating on the notion of time,

photography and our conscience. In his first chapter

‘Framing, Reframing and Enframing’ he talks about

how the relation between truth, fiction and the event

is apparent in novels such as ‘Othello’ and the movie

‘Melancholia’. He then describes the disintegration of

this frame of reality that we perceive events happening

through. In turn the general progression of the

investigation of an ‘event’ by Zizek allows for a dialogue

to arise between truth, religion and enlightenment. He

describes his deconstruction of the ‘event’ as

“... a change or disintegration of the frame through

which reality appears to us; the second, a religious Fall.

This is followed by the breaking of symmetry; Buddhist

Enlightenment; an encounter with truth that shatters our

ordinary life; the experience of the self as a purely evental

occurrence; the immanence of illusion to truth which

Research: Slavoj Zizek - ‘Event’

87

makes truth itself evental; a trauma which destabilises

the symbolic order we dwell in; the rise of a ‘Master-

Signifier, a signifier which structures an entire field of

meaning, the experience of the pure flow of (non)sense;

a radical political rupture; and the undoing of an evental

achievement.” (p.6)

Zizek, S (2014). Event : Philosophy in Transit. 1st ed.

Penguin Books, Limited.

Time, gravity, consciousness and existence are entities

which have larger than life meaning. Having tried to

tackle these ideas last year I found quite an interesting

area of graphic design. Trying to visualise the invisible or

communicate a visual language so they are understood.

Having done this with gravity last year I do not intend to

approach it in the same manner. I wish to explore it more

on an aesthetic level and in a less complex manner, hence

the amount of visuals that I’ve been producing with the

research that’s being undertaken. With these invisible

entites essentially the outcomes themselves can be

quite abstract and must have some point of reference in

relation to how someone might understand it.

Having delved into subjects revolving around ontological

problems and trying to visualise them I began to look

at the notion of the invisible in an aesthetic way. As the

visual must concern itself in the abstract as it cannot

directly visualise something invisible.

An example of this aesthetic take on invisible entities is

the ‘impossible object’. Relating this to visualising the

invisible is interesting as trying to grasp the notion of

existence, consciousness, gravity and time is hard. The

closer and closer you look at them the less there seems

to be. With impossible objects they are essentially optical

illusions that translate that same feeling. This is a very

shallow way of taking this but as I’ve investigated time in a

scientific way I see this aesthetic comparison could allow

for a more interesting outcome.

The impossible object consists of a two-dimensional

figure which is instantly and subconsciously interpreted

by the visual system as representing a projection of a

three-dimensional object. These impossible objects will

play part in how I might visualise ‘the invisible entities’

on an aesthetic level to accompany my light cone book.

I feel that this could marry the two parts of project in an

interesting way.

Research: visualising the invisible.

89

Oscar Reutersvärd

‘An impossible object’

MC Escher

‘Relativity’

91

Jos De Mey

‘Lithograph print’

Monument Valley is a game developed by UTSWO. In

Monument Valley, the player leads the player-character

princess[1] Ida through mazes of impossible objects as

she journeys to be forgiven for something. The game is

presented in isometric view and features puzzles based

on optical illusion resulting from the game’s isometric

perspective. The player interacts with the environment to

find hidden passages as Ida progresses to the map’s exit.

Each level has a different central mechanic. Interactions

include moving platforms and pillar animals, and creating

bridges. Crows, stationary or wandering on the paths,

can block Ida’s path, requiring the player to find a means

to detour around them. The player is indirectly cued

through the game by design elements like colour.

This game is in turn using the geometry of impossible

ways to find an interactive and interesting way to make

the shapes make sense.

Research: monument valley.

93

Oscar Reutersvärd

‘An impossible object’

After gauging this same emotion from impossible objects

as visualising the invisible I wanted to produce the same

aesthetic through my lino prints that I’ve been producing

throughout the year. I decided again to go with this very

geometric and structured look to the visual but in this

instance allowing me to experiment with the grid in terms

of placement of my structures. I was heavily influenced by

Jos de Mey in this way and Reutersvärd in terms of trying

to reuse my grid system in a different way and try and

create abstract shapes which do not look correct.

I find these achieved the goals I set out to produce with

the intention of creating a series of works which correlate

with each other. In relation to how this sits with the light

cone book I think it would be interesting to progress

down a different path. Whilst cutting out the book I

delved into laser engraving on paper and these outcomes

seem to hold the same aesthetic as the book which I

think is important as well as the content of the posters.

These laser cut outcomes can be seen on the following

pages but I thought it important to have a precursor and

different examples to choose from.

Experiments: impossible objects pt 2.

Interested in conveying the same feeling and aesthetic

of Reutersvärd, Escher and De Mey I arrived at more

tyopgraphic and abstract outcomes in this respect. This

is to go along with the light cone book I have produced,

some of them have elements of time in narrative and

some are fairly abstract. They have all been laser

engraved on the same paper I have made the book out of

and allow for a coherent soft style ro emerge. I think the

two go together quite well and will replace the idea of lino

prints.

I am happy with how these have turned out and feel

that there is a good aesthetic to my work allowing the

material I have worked with take the front seat and

elevate my idea into an interesting body of work. In the

coming weeks I will begin to deduce which pieces I will be

exhibiting in the final show.

The abstract wave motions and very rigid rectangle

geometric shapes contrast with each other but all have

the intention of using the aesthetic of time in a different

way. Each piece has a central focal point as the light cone

does. With this a narrative pattern begins to emerge

throughout.

The intent of experimenting with the impossible object

was to try and marry a more visual side to include with

my project. By investigating this area I found that by

creating abstract, narrative based graphics made an

interesting correlation between the emotive feeling trying

to visualising the invisible.

Experiments: impossible objects

Having written about this previously I have gone and

produced the light cone book and I am happy with the

outcome. This is the final outcome to be shown at the

MA degree show along with some laser engraved prints

depicting the notion of an impossible object.

The light cone was produced by laser cutting 350 sheets

of 200mm x 200mm circles decreasing in size by 1mm

each sheet.

With the production complete it’s interesting to make the

comparison to the light cone and the book as they are

both vessels in which narratives transpire. This reiterates

as well the intention of visualising time differently allowing

for the passing of events to become a new signifier of

time. Each page is an event or a page of time whereby an

event has or will occur. This is powerful I find.

Experiments: light cone book.

Analysing the intentions of mixing the aesthetic of

impossible objects and time together, I have realised

that the two seem to correlate on an emotive level. By

emotive I mean to describe the feeling of disparity once

we realise that time is not a controllable constraint which

we have power over. We can organise it but there is no

control. I find this interesting as a power struggle.

With the aesthetic of an impossible object I feel as

though there is this same feeling of disparity among

understanding the visual implications of something not

making logical sense. Nonsensical logic in these terms is

what is interesting as the link between the two is formed

by this illogical way of interpreting something which we

should normally understand, By this I mean to highlight

the emotive factors that relativity and impossible objects

evoke. In terms of the project I am content with the final

outcome but I feel the documentation could have been a

bit stronger. Having prided myself previously on building

a project primarily through hypothesis and integral

research I upended myself with the masters project. I

focused more heavily on the experimental side of things,

producing graphic outcomes and intertwining these with

the intent on tying this in with my project.

The evolution from exploring the notion of structure and

style versus function slowly butterflied into a larger more

experimental outcome. I feel as if I stuck to the study

plan that I originally came up with but in turn argued

a more abstract dialogue between style and function.

By investigating the very notion of time I attempted

to unravel a pillar of functionality in which we almost

confide in and rely on an everyday basis. The discussion

that ensued was primarily one of researching and merely

understanding how we can change our perception of

time. By skimming through and gathering information

about relativity, I found this different perception of time

which lead me to a breakthrough.

Research: analysis

117

Through understanding the general theory of relativity

and realising that time is a man made construct and that

time is perhaps a consequence of gravity, I found it quite

a grandiose and difficult notion to comprehend. This

lead me to the light cone and understanding that time

is the passing of events more than anything. The shape

of the light cone is something that stood out to me on a

level whereby there was an interesting narrative quality

to it. Using the book as a tool to portray this idea fit in

perfectly and the simple idea of mainly representation

really fit the general core of graphic design, to

communicate.

The posters I created to coincide with the book were

mainly more experiments to portray the narrative of a

light cone. As the light cone idea revolves around a focal

point whereby events happen before they are gone , I

tried to portray mainly the progression of an event before

it is gone.