5 Conferences

Process

Students propose a new typography and culture conference whose identity will be a flexible system that nimbly adapts to different mediums. After choosing a topic for their conference, students write a vision statement describing how typography intersects with what they chose as well as their ideal attendee. This vision statement becomes the communication objective for all the pieces they create.

To compile ingredients for their flexible identity, students thoughtfully select symbols, colors, fonts, grids, textures, and/or images that convey the communication objective of their new conference. An animation that shows the construction and deconstruction of their identity components helps students iterate and reframe their design work.

A name badge and another wearable item are designed to demonstrate the flexibility of the identity. Finally, a poster promoting the conference includes the vision statement, schedule, bios for speakers, and a registration form. In later version of this project, students also created a website version of the poster.

Conference 1–BODEGA

Drawing inspiration from the thousands of bodegas across NYC and the US, with typography born out of purpose and a lack of resources or understanding of the rules of typography, BODEGA will focus on typography experienced en masse—from city typeface systems to the singular hand-crafted.

Conference style guide

Identity construction / deconstruction animation

Conference name badge, wearable, and poster

Conference 2–Faces

Comparing and combining the curves and shapes of the face with the forms of typography

Conference style guide

Identity construction / deconstruction animation

Conference name badge and wearable

Conference poster

Conference 3–Synthetics

An evaluation of the inherited systems (language) that dictate function in an era of rapid globalization, addressing how various artists and designers are dealing with the external (commercial) and internal (personal) parameters that these systems establish, while considering the historical context that has shaped their construction and deconstruction.

Conference style guide

Identity construction / deconstruction animation

Conference name badge, wearable, and poster

Conference website

Conference 4–The Rise of the Emojis

As we look toward the future of communication, change is happening. Texting prevails an amid texting a new language of emojis has emerged. What does this language mean for future literature? Is beauty dead or have we stumbled into the age of more direct communication? Are emojis limiting or is the language simply in need of expansion? And what is the value of universally communicated thoughts versus the beauty of unique languages and ideas that exist purely in context?