The Book AsMain MenuA Repository of InformationA PerformanceA JourneyJessie CarterA Conceptual Playground for Choice(sagesolar, 2014, “The king of hearts”)A Medium for Universal LanguageA Phenomenal ReadingA Relationship Between Recto and VersoA Vision of the FutureA Repository of LanguageKate Aberman74d96e55dd29b74bef0e0a20c2d79e879fab26ccEmmie Banksd3c00922e17d33400599c8143d1d353f7d36ea7aJessie Cartera6f04f02805133baaf416ab9fcd9a4a2b857b080Deanna Fayed2f0ded76fb9215a15ea7a11b638a892a604843bfGabby Huberta3f266b029aa2bada1c10fd4a31317d37a1bec9dKatherine King6125a92332113f4973e618b8e428aac70a6ed790Carol Leea596a4440954bb8282b044cb431f3d2b8a9a8e75Sarah Richmanbeb66f0b62cd0c55d75ac46cfcf447f52ffe6aa8Matthew Winz5800f51dc1a62f1d2397973f41e4b16a521351b3whitney trettienf2bbb7126b60dc1bee07050dccbd9d30f12d7b2b
Table of Contents for Book from the Ground: from point to point
12016-12-05T18:48:57-08:00Sarah Richmanbeb66f0b62cd0c55d75ac46cfcf447f52ffe6aa8135562Book from the Ground: from point to point (2014) by Xu Bing; published by MIT Pressplain2016-12-06T10:06:48-08:00Sarah Richmanbeb66f0b62cd0c55d75ac46cfcf447f52ffe6aa8
The idea of universal language has always been a hot button topic, and it is being explored more thoroughly as we introduce greater amounts of symbols into our daily lives. Book artists have been approaching this idea for a long time, drawing attention to its possibilities and its potential drawbacks. In utilizing multiple kinds of symbols in exchange for words or other symbols themselves, certain book artists whom I will discuss further down this pathway have exercised their ability to assign meaning to that which is ambiguous.
The idea of universal language is controversial: there are those scholars who believe that is achievable--especially through the use of symbols--and there are those who disagree entirely with the possibility that it could ever happen due to individual differences in cultures. Despite these contradicting views, it is clear that the stripping down of language-specific words and reimagining them as purely visual icons presents a fascinating relationship between the form and typography of these books and their function as carriers of the potential for universality.
It is my hope that throughout this pathway, you will question the existence of universal language, the idea of perception and reading, and how two unique individuals have the possibility to look at a symbol and for the two of them to have completely different interpretations of that one symbol.
