Sisyphus
An Absurd Typeface
An Absurd Typeface
Imagine being condemned to push a boulder up a mountain only to have it roll down the other side. Then, having completed this arduous process once, pushing the boulder up again and repeating this process for all eternity. Such is the case for Sisyphus who angered the gods and is sentenced to a life of meaningless labor. Albert Camus, a French writer and philosopher, posits that our everyday existence is much like the plight of Sisyphus. Camus suggests that one must imagine Sisyphus happy because he understands his fate and recognizes the inherent absurdity of existence. In the same way, once we understand the absurd, we too can find happiness in our existence.
In response to the myth of Sisyphus, I created a typeface using straight lines and circles. Each character utilizes a circle symbolically representing Sisyphus' boulder. The circles are supported by thin lines suggesting the fragility of our lives and pointing to the absurdity of existence.
