Systems of Chaos and Order through the lens of Graphic Design

I seek to identify and harness the dynamic relationship between order and chaos as seen through my lens as a graphic designer in the twenty first century. In an open-ended approach to understand the relationship in each subset: order and chaos, order and graphic design, and chaos and graphic design, I found artistic inspiration in the intersection of each. Using the intrinsic meaning of numbers, as found in nature, I studied systems of order. Using chance elements, such as the randomness of rolling dice, I experimented with systems of chaos. I found opportunities for artistic discovery as I infused order and chaos into different systems. The resulting images and projects became an open-ended journey that embraced both order and chaos, questioning concepts of control, perfection and beauty.

In my exploration of the intersection of all three: order, chaos and graphic design, I questioned my role as a graphic designer. I found that I bring many skills sets to any project I undertake. I am a graphic designer, but also many other things: a woman, mother, teacher, athlete and dancer. I see the boundaries that others impose on the projects that I wish to pursue to be confining to the energy and spirit of how I see my work as a graphic designer.

Much of my work involves the use of a machine. I am interested in pushing technology in ways that are not expected. I have experimented with a camera to challenge the perception of time by recording the history of an event in an unconventional way. I have used the panoramic feature on my iPhone to capture the movement of a horse and carriage, a moving metro car, and movements of a gymnastics ribbon. I have also opened images in type editing programs and re-arranged the code, introducing perceived chaos, within the computer language. I collaborated with a dancer, by chalking her ballet point shoes, to record the history of her dancing on paper.

My final project was the design of a system, collaborating with dancers and other theater professionals. I created a microcosm of my thesis. Using ideas of order and chance, 10 different choreographers independently created dances interpreting the intrinsic meaning of numbers. I learned to bend like a willow branch as the chaos of change occurred. The resulting dance performance, held in front of a live audience, broke the rules, defied labels, and tore down walls between professions.