Meaning in Flux
Linguistics Conference hosted at Yale University
2017 Identity
I was tasked with creating a symbol for the identity of Yale University's Brain and Language Lab's Meaning in Flux conference on semantic shift. Hoping to genuinely capture the nature of linguistic flux, I focused primarily on the image of a swirl, or a spiral, allowing it to change over time. The final design—drawing inspiration from Italian constructivist architect and graphic designer Franco Grignani's black-and-white illustrations of ribbons in motion—rather, consists of concentric circles, that have been gradually distorted into a spiral-like shape, with the aims of representing not only flux and fluctuation, but also the constancy of change in language and meaning.
The primary typeface in the poster design is Yale's proprietary typeface—designed by Yale School of Art faculty member Matthew Carter—which incorporates in its design many of the formal characteristics of the old-style typefaces used in Yale publications since the 18th century.
Meaning in Flux 2017
distorted spiral consisting of concentric circles
2019 Identity
Meaning in Flux 2019
Updated mark, again hinting at the simultaneous mutability and constancy of language
