Ursonate: A Visual Performance

Ursonate was the result of a senior graduation project completed during my undergraduate degree at Emily Carr University. As an experiment in visual language and typography, I was interested to see how a text could communicate if the alphabet was replaced by a new yet equally systematic collection of signs. The text chosen was the score to Kurt Schwitters' sound poem Ursonate (1922-32). A system was created in which rules were followed ruthlessly and exceptions made intelligently in order to find visual solutions to Schwitters' performance guidelines.

The poster to the right shows the entire first movement (of four) from Ursonate.

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Each 1in x 1in square shows the overlapping texture of letters occurring within a single syllable. The way in which letters overlap was determined according to (mostly German) language rules as described by Schwitters. Images of graffiti were chosen as the new system of signs due to their close relationship with experimental language.

From a distance, the resulting patterns – while displaying the entire first movement of Ursonate – begin to communicate aspects such as timing and rhythm that are not otherwise found in the standard text. (Note: none of this pretends to be scientific. It is only consistent).