DUST
This publication explores the concept of dust as its definition moves from a place of physical matter to that of a virtual. It was designed for entry in to the ISTD Student Awards 2018 and selected by the college as one of six entries to go through to the judging stage.
The publication was sparked by the idea of a contronym, which is a word that means its own opposite. Dust is a contronym in that it means both to sprinkle with dust and to remove dust from something. It is a beginning and end simultaneously. Contronyms are used visually throughout.
Dust is created using a series of complex strategies, despite its understated first impression. It is a palindrome and can be read in either direction, returning to its original state. Each physical sheet can be isolated and a dialogue occurs between the two articles that exist on the printed page. The book becomes more abstract and digitalised as it is reduced to pure data in the centre spread. It is printed on newspaper to juxtapose the complex ideas of data retention with analog form. It is packaged in an anti-static bag (another contronym), temporarily dust-free until its first interaction with a viewer.
The publication is accompanied by a QR code link to a video piece, acting as the background environment which exists only as a digital form. The music of the piece is the medieval Ma Fin set Mom Commencement which is written as a palindrome.
