body—text—space exhibition at Luonnos

The visual communication design students from Aalto University present an exhibition featuring experimental and visual writing, along with typography that explores the interactive relationships between body, text, and space. The ambitious exhibition design encompasses not only the walls but also extends to the floor. The exhibition will be showcased at Luonnos – Grafia’s creative space from February 23 to March 24, 2024.

The body—text—space exhibition at Luonnos features 22 sentences reflecting the question, ”What does the body know about writing?” The exhibition aims to challenge the boundaries between image and text, redefine the concepts of readability and authorship, and challenge preconceptions about the relationships between writing, design, and reading.

The concept of a kinesphere inspires the exploration of body, text, and space. A kinesphere combines ”kinetic” movement and ”sphere,” which refers to an area or domain. The kinesphere is a space surrounding the body within which limbs can reach.

The exhibition consists of 22 sentences designed through a collective and experimental process. Each sentence has been reinterpreted typographically to create a spatial reading experience. Although the works do not have individual authors, short exhibition descriptions reveal each designer’s personal process and relationship with the text, body, and space.

╭──╯

The body–text–space exhibition is an outcome of the Design as Writing course offered in the Visual Communication Design program at Aalto University. The course intends to explore the connections between language, writing, and visual communication design beyond typographic surfaces. By utilising theories and techniques that explore the form and materiality of writing, the course enables the creation of new texts under diverse regulations and restrictions while deriving inspiration from existing texts through borrowing, sampling, and copying.

Workgroup: Alyssa Meier, Martha Blackham, Veera Kortelainen, Zoe Spehr, Zina Marpegan, Touko Miikkulainen, Ewa Sowińska, Tadeusz Niziołek, Olga Poropudas, Anastasiia Balagurova, Lari Mörö, Júli Vila, Diana Lisitsa, Kristin Gschwender, Maria Klata, Jenny Reponen, Merle Karp, Zhiying Deng, Nikita Gavrilenko, Nanako Ueda, Aarni Kapanen, Helmi Leppänen. Guiding teacher: Professor Arja Karhumaa. Exhibition architect and lecturer: Tuomas Siitonen.

Thanks to Hansaprint for their support in the exhibition materials!

Aalto University’s Visual Communication Design program offers an international learning community that investigates new approaches to visual communication.

Please note that shoes are not allowed in this exhibition. You can either walk without shoes or wear shoe covers. Read more about Luonnos and the accessibility of the space

body—text—space exhibition
by Aalto ARTS / VCD

Luonnos – Creative Space by Grafia
Uudenmaankatu 13, Helsinki
Wednesday–Friday, 12–17
Saturday–Sun, 12–16.
Free admission!

Opening reception is on Thursday, February 22, from 17:00 to 19:00. Welcome!

@luonnostila @bodytextspace @grafia_ry