[UNIT2] POSITIONS THROUGH CONTEXTUALISING – WRITTEN RESPONSE
DOWNLOAD PDF REF 01 TO 06
DOWNLOAD PDF REF 07 TO 12
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Ref 01 – Texts from the reading list
Why we should really be concerned about the visual identity for the Tokyo Olympics, Ian Lynam, 2015
In this text, Identity design means designing the system through the lens of Modernism. The identity design rule (or system) inspired by Modernism was re-systemized with a bit of modification in this iteration of the work. The rule that I adopted was that : 1. All symbols are simplified in a way that rejects the method that I used for the first symbol, which adopts decorative elements and forms. 2. Symbols are designed starting from the intuitive image to the systematic method. 3. In terms of visual symbols, decorative design like illustration was simplified geometric shapes. This process allowed ’Symbolization’ and ’Simplification’ to be interpreted through the lens of modernism.
Ref 02 – Texts from the reading list
A *New* Program for Graphic Design, David Reinfurt, 2019
Based on the Gestalt principle of Pargnanz, my ‘symbolisation & simplification of sounds’ work was re-systematized. The below images explain two different types of figures. Symbolisation works were changed from Ambiguous statistics, which are the figures set in the second row, to regular geometric figures. These regular figures, triangle-circle-square, had grammar, vocabulary, syntax and even meaning. However, in the middle of symbolisation, I thought about a few enquiries: Is each figure’s meaning understandable for everyone? How to define or limit of figure’s meaning? Of course, I agree this theory or this primer is the very first principle of design. Although, the symbol can be only one answer of many possible answers.
Ref 03 – Text that I find outside the reading list
Critical Wayfinding, Ellen Lupton and J. Abbott Miller, 1993
To make the sign is framing a certain activity. Therefore, we need to think about how can we cross-cultural communicate with symbols. The one-world, one-language ideal of heroic modernism couldn’t be a solution for design in the next century. In recent, the DOT symbol system’s man symbol is still the symbol representing humans. It represents the symbol not only playing the role of simplifying complex something but also cultural images, sexual boundaries or images, which means symbols should combine various views worldwide. In the work of ‘Symbolisation & Simplification of sounds’, I worked 30 iterations of each sound to translate differences of various views of people. In this iterating process, somehow extremely complex symbol designs couldn’t successfully express sounds exactly even compared to the most simplified version. For further development, rather than repeating the design of symbols by myself, I’d like to abstract people’s symbols and then find common things and will simplify step by step from sounds to find diverse cultural communication system of sounds.
Ref 04 – Text that I find outside the reading list
American Modernism : Graphic Design 1920 to 1960 [2003], R. Roger Remington with Lisa Bodenstedt, 2013
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. Simplification from Modernism is called ’The Necessary’ in this text. Modernism is not a making looks. It was not one of graphic style but a particular set of graphic principles. I abstracted one keyword which is ’Simplification’ is the remaining the necessary, I adopted this principle into my work; I only remain in my symbol with the ‘important’, ‘authentic’ and ‘basic’ parts of each sound. Modernism affected the final symbol I created. However, I think I’m unsuccessful in symbolising sounds that encompass various perspectives because I extracted symbols only through my repetitive work.
Ref 05 – Design practices/projects
Some may works as symbols art made in Brazil 1950s-70s, Ravon Low, 2023
This exhibition finds conversations between various forms of abstraction, symbolism and figuration that were circulating and interacting in the visual culture of that time. The interesting thing I find is that when symbolistic artworks inspired by modernism were developed in Brazil, in other side, detailed traditional vivid artworks in Brazil also were developed. I abstracted a few questions from this exhibition : How do we express neutrality meant modernism in the symbol? What priorities did the symbolism, and simplification omit stories and who evaluated them? Too hard to answer those enquiries for now. But I simplified Symbolization & Simplification works step by step to study this gap. By setting the hierarchy of information that I should not delete, I’m breaking away from simplifying for minimalism.
Ref 06 – Design practices/projects
Bird-Transcription, Kouhei Miki, 2023
In this ‘bird-Transcription’, I focus on the “timbre” of birdsong, rather than the pitch or rhythm of the birdsong, which is less uncertain. As well as Symbolisation & Simplification work, I focused on ’tone’ which is not formed in the traditional notation system. The interesting part of this system is presenting movement in their notation system by using only a white background and a square as a notation. This work proves that replacing sounds with symbols can exist without a frame of notation system. The method displayed in some areas and expressed detailed movement without rules shows the possibility of how can we replace the sounds.
Ref 07 – Texts from the reading list
Robert Venturi & Denise Scott Brown ‘Learning from Las Vegas’ 1972
Can a graphic communicator dominate the space? Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown claim: ‘Communication dominates space as an element in the architecture and the landscape.’ The key to dominating the space is ‘Communication’ rather than architecture or landscape (or sounds in my work). My work was focused on this point and the idea of ‘Real-time interaction’ was incorporated into my work ‘Sound Visualisation’.
Two-way communication is more effective than one-way direction to dominate the space. That is why my work developed as interaction design at the end. But the complex programs and setting; the visualising sounds in this work; require complex combinations of media. Therefore, The next goal I will consider is how we can represent effectively by combining various and different media.
Ref 08 – Texts from the reading list
Johanna Drucker ‘Designing graphic interpretation’ 2014
Innovative graphics can extend our capacities beyond traditional text-based reading methods to move diverse visual forms. In this text, Johanna claims that in the city, or at the next exhibition, new graphical arrangements appear. Similarly, the symbols I created created new visual and spatial contexts.
The traditional notation reading system, still in use today, has been reimagined from a static to a digital world in this work. This transition redefines the meaning of ‘symbol’ within the framework of the traditional notation system. This new sound symbol work is designed with reference to two critical literacies: a form of critical literacy and compositional activity, for translating traditional visual systems into new visual forms.
Ref 09 – Text that I find outside the reading list
Mr. Keedy, ‘Zombie Modernism’ 1995
In this Unit, my work started with ‘symbolisation’ and ‘visualisation’. However, I realised that simplification is not important for visualisation. Rather, It disturbed the real representation of something in some cases. The term ‘Symbolisation’ was getting close to ‘Simplification’ from the modernist century, and people started to think of symbols are static and simple images for recording efficiently.
In my work in this unit, I tried to separate from the modernist. The most important thing is the exact representation of sounds as a first step in visualising. I found I was stuck in the symbolisation of modernism. Through Interaction graphic communication, which is a new approach that I consider to visualise the sounds, I re-define ‘symbolisation’ in my language.
Ref 10 – Text that I find outside the reading list
Scott Mc Cloud, ‘Understanding Comics (The Invisible Art)’ 1993
In the comic, sound breaks down into two subjects: Word balloons and Sound effects. Two types of methods explain sounds through ‘duration’ for introducing the nature of sound itself. As well, they express ‘action’ and ‘reaction’ in the panel of the comic. That means that for visualising sounds, time and interaction are mandatory to explain to the public that ‘it is the sounds’. People cannot be aware of visuals as sound without any explaining time or interaction. ‘Real-time interaction’ needs to exist to represent sounds understandably.
In my sound visualisation, I tried to create interaction through touchdesigner and I hoped one was not excluded even if someone could not hear anything.
Ref 11 – Design practices/projects
Bernhard Leitner, ‘SERPENTINATA’ 1972
“I can hear with my knee better than with my calves.” This statement made by Bernhard Leitner represents his study of the relationship between sound, body and space. Bernhard deeply studied the area between architecture and music and translated sounds into architectural elements that allow a space to emerge. Sounds move at various speeds through a space, rise and fall, resonate back and forth, and bridge dynamic, constantly changing spatial bodies within the static limits of the architectural framework. Sounds create ‘audible spaces’ that can be felt with the entire body. The ability of domination that sound has is the main reason why I want to do ‘sounds visualisation’ Traditional notation system even if it’s very experimental is focused on ‘sounds’ itself compared to ‘sounds’ in the ‘space’. In my work, I tried to visualise how sounds dominate the space, which means explaining the ability sounds have. The notion Bernhard has explains why I’m studying new notation systems or sound visualisation apart from traditional notation systems.
Ref 12 – Design practices/projects
James Clar, ‘Cleanse/Mantra’ 2023
James Clar used the wave of light, and in the work, lights moved at 110Hz per second. The reason why he chose 110Hz is that 110Hz is called ‘Human pitch’. This frequency expressed mantra; ‘sacred utterance’ in Vedism; visually through this human pitch. In this space, audiences can feel a mantra without any sounds or voices.In my final work inspired by Clar’s mantra, I dominated the space by expressing sound pressure as a light inspiring this work. Also, by creating real-time interaction with sounds, I induced people to participate in the work.
Essay 01 – Extended critical analyses
Ellen Lupton and J. Abbott Miller,‘Critical Wayfinding’ 1993
Graphic design has the potential to interpret, revise, and critique the world. People often think through graphics, and sometimes graphics help people understand the world. At the beginning of this project, I asked myself: How can graphic communicators ‘interpret’ or ‘revise’ the world, and with which methods?
I have a deep love for music and sounds, particularly the way sound can dominate space. However, traditional notation systems fail to capture the visceral, immersive experience of sound. This study began as an effort to represent the powerful way sounds can shape our perception of space.
Why has the existing sound notation system focused only on the sounds themselves? I believe this limitation stems from the historical recording method of ‘writing’ that began long ago. Starting in the 9th century, people sought to record sounds on 2D paper. To achieve this, they created symbols for sounds that became widely accepted and used. This traditional notation system, which emerged in the 9th century and was fully established by the 13th century, continues to be used globally today.
Ellen likened this symbol system to hieroglyphics, where images are integrated into the realm of writing. These hieroglyphics, In the world of sounds, these symbols are represented by musical notes and notation.
The question of how this ‘symbol’ most effectively records music or sound led me to experiment with re-creating it. I want to explain architecture as an example. Many office towers have come to function as graphic ‘symbols’, or logos, for corporations, and their silhouettes have become giant commercial signs. The thing that I want to mention is that architecture itself, rather than a simplified, one-dimensional graphic drawn on a simple plane, is now taking on the role of a symbol.
We’ve been using the note system we’ve been using all along as a “symbol,” which is actually not just a notation, but a giant signboard or a promised graphic that compresses the musical world. Are our extremely simplified musical symbols for notation sufficiently representative of sound? Like the architecture Ellen mentioned, isn’t there potential for music symbols to be symbolised in new ways? That’s where my questions started.
In order to do this, I abandoned any further symbolisation, simplification, or graphics that existed in a flat plane. When I first started this work, I fell into the mannerism of designing recordable ‘symbols’, simplifying and trying to make sense of music with graphics that promised to be universal ‘symbols’ that I knew. But as I continued to symbolise, I realised that while simplification is necessary, it’s not very efficient when it comes to representing something to the extent that it can be understood.
Our world no longer requires extreme simplification based on modernism; we have the tools in our hands to capture it all. What matters is how we can communicate with different audiences in a way that is accurate and understandable. That’s how we can create the cross-cultural, one-world, no-one-alienated world that modernism is all about.
So, the enquiry arises:
How can a visual communicator fill the space with the visceral representation of sounds as a grammar of ‘symbol’?
Essay 02 – Extended critical analyses
Bernhard Leitner, ‘SERPENTINATA’ 1972
In Bernhard Leitner’s SERPENTINATA, visitors gain a deep understanding of sound. The sound enters the head, travels down the shoulders and legs, and then moves back up again. It can travel a short or long distance, depending on the direction of the line, and this movement is visualised by overlapping it on SERPENTINATA.
Leitner’s way of interpreting sound is similar to the way to read sounds in my work with new sound symbols. Here is the reason. Why I refer to his work as important, because it helps us understand and visualise the spatiality of sound so well.
This phrase embarked on his idea of sound. Bernhard Leitner mentioned, “I can hear with my knee better than with my calves.” This phrase can be transferred to “Sounds can dominate the space by filling every part of the body” Leitner sees sounds as architecture, for highlighting this value. What about my view as a visual communicator?
For me, graphics mean every visual representation. As a graphic communicator, I aim to visualise the spatiality of sound. If there’s anything I can add to this work, it’s the ability to visualise or graphically represent sound, even in its absence.
Lightner understood sound as architecture, translating it into structures. However, sound is an indispensable component of his work because sound is architecture. As a graphic communicator, I wanted to approach it differently: the symbolising of sound to express spatiality without sound. That also can be mentioned, I want to hack the wonder of sound into graphics.
The study of symbols was essential for this process, as traditional musical notation systems are the most widely used to visualise sound. Through this inquiry, I concluded that in our current era of extreme simplification and lightweight influenced by modernism, symbols from other approaches also add valuable variety.
In this essay, I want to add the story of the sound source I used to create this symbol. I tried to expand on my idea through this sound source. John Cage’s Water Walk is often referred to as a key piece of the Fluxus movement. One of the ideas of the Fluxus movement is to engage with the audience and trigger joy. This piece is based on interaction, including the audience’s laughter and unexpected noises in the space. The reason I chose this work was also influenced by SERPENTINATA. Leitner created a sound architecture that organically communicates with the audience, the people who appreciate his work. It shows that sound is a process that moves in space and is in constant communication with the audience. By drawing on these ideas, I aimed to visualise the spatiality of sound, similar to how ‘Water Walk’ and ‘SERPENTINATA’ demonstrate sound’s interactive and spatial nature.
Of course, the entire positions of my work and SERPENTINATA are different. Leitner understood sound as architecture and used it as a tool to show his world, whereas my symbols are studied to understand sound itself and how it can be represented viscerally and graphically.
However, I believe that both works share a similar position in the study of how we interpret sound. In conclusion, I hope that the new sound symbols I have studied will later serve as a medium through which we can discover and understand new values of sound.