This project explores the themes of neutrality and disruption through type design. Drawing inspiration from surrealism, particularly Salvador Dali, I applied a similar distorted effect to letterforms.
At the core lies Helvetica – the epitome of neutrality and a historic icon in the world of graphic design. I force the original typeface through four levels of disruption by modifying its weight, width, height, and structural integrity. By altering Helvetica, I aim to challenge its inherent detachment and question the industry’s design choices.
The first output of this experiment is a functional variable font that showcases the transition between the neutral and ‘chaotic’ states. The second outcome is a visual essay comprising four posters, each depicting one level of disruption (weight, width, height, and noise).
The viewer notices the visual parallel between the top-heavy letterforms on ‘thin long legs’ and Dali‘s stork-legged elephants; the broken-down pieces of letters and The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory.
Research & Process
