This piece was inspired by a poem I wrote detailing the monotony of a summer job I held in college, working in an art supply factory. The assignment was to compose a text, then create a typographic interface for that text, employing visual rhetoric in the final design.
For this laser cut booklet, I intend for the user to open and interact with the artifact. The “pull” direction is taken directly from the text and is meant to propel the user through the text. Color change and change in shape represent the interruptions and transitions between personal and mechanical actions. The effect of being able to see through each mechanical instance speaks to the transparency of the mechanical actions. The user can look through and see the personal actions underneath.
My poem:
Put Dixie Chicks CD in Discman. Adjust headphones. Push play. Settle onto stool.
Place handle in bottom. Place roller in top. Stomp on peddle. Pull out new brayer. Throw in bucket. 600 more to go.
Place handle in bottom. Place roller in top. Stomp on peddle. Pull out new brayer. Throw in bucket. 599 more to go.
Check watch.
Glance to the left.
White-haired women sort X-acto blades.
They talk about their grandkids.
They talk about handguns.
Turn up volume on Discman.
Place handle in bottom. Place roller in top. Stomp on peddle. Pull out new brayer. Throw in bucket. 598 more to go.
Adjust pillow under ass.
Pray for lunch bell.
Place handle in bottom. Place roller in top. Oops- bad roller. Throw to discard pile. Place new roller in top. Stomp on peddle. Pull out new brayer. Throw in bucket. 597 more to go.
Wait—handguns?
Turn down volume on Discman.
Scoot stool over.
Place roller in top. Stomp on peddle. Pull out new brayer. Throw in bucket. 596 more to go.
Photos by Alberto Rigau