Neda Firfova
Researcher Design
01.04.09 – 31.03.11
Pattern Typography: Exploration into New Grid Systems explores modularity in the Roman alphabet letters, suggesting a specific research into what constitutes a ‘pattern’ in typography and its possibilities. The research will reflect itself into designs of new grid systems that offer interesting possibilities in usage and application.
By definition, a ‘pattern’, from the French patron, means reoccurring events or objects, sometimes referred to as ‘elements of a set’. These elements repeat in a predictable manner. A pattern can also be a template or model, which can be used to generate (parts of) things, especially if the things that are created have enough in common for the underlying pattern to be inferred (in which case they are said to exhibit the pattern).
Using the logic of construction of the Chinese characters (Kanji), I will design a ‘containing’ shape for all letters to fit in. My project also aims to create modular font systems, where all the letters are designed in accordance with this ‘containing’ shape. In contrast, the thinking is such that repetition of text can be treated as a pattern of its own, and perhaps emerge as a ‘meaningful’ pattern. With these ideas in mind, I am developing grid designs by repeating the ‘containing’ shapes over and over again until they become patterns, allowing and guiding the user to fill it in with text.
I can envision the project developing into a platform for connecting different writing systems and alphabets of various origins and character, since that is an issue I find socially provoking at the moment and compatible with the work itself. Apart from the possibility of the systems’ connecting tool application and its general experimental value, it also has the potential of becoming a learning tool for children.
Also:
Please understand is a group project organised by Design researcher Neda Firfova and Fine Art researchers Wolfgang Fuetterer and Caroline Pekle, especially for the opening week at the Jan van Eyck Academie.
It is imagined to consist of presentations, events, installations and a few surprises. Please understand depicts the specificity of a multi-department and multi-disciplinary environment. By inviting a few guest researchers from across the three departments to join in this group project, we are inspired to represent the advantages that the JVE environment facilitates, in a less formal manner, within the time frame of the opening week.
Please understand was born out of the mutual inclination to re-design the opening week event into a more entertaining, welcoming moment for the new researchers.
Skopje, MK
MA Graphic Design. Tama Art University, Tokyo, JP.
Research student. Tama Art University, Tokyo, JP.
BA Graphics and Graphic Design. Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, MK.
School of Architecture, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, MK.
Teaching assistant. Department of Graphic Design, Tama Art University, Tokyo, JP.
Member of the Japanese Society for the Science of Design.
Graphic designer and collaborator. Press to exit project space, Skopje, MK.
Junior art director and creative conceptualist. Republika Advertising & Marketing, Skopje, MK.
Part-time junior creative and graphic designer. Idea Plus DDB, Skopje, MK.
Production grant for Extra artisan trade workshop export complete import programme. Pro Helvetia, Skopje, MK.
Monbukagakusho research grant.
DAAD scholarship. Berlin, DE.
Scholarship for exceptionally talented students.
Awards
2nd prize in the With love competition.
Finalist Posters Family and independence at the Terminal festival. Ljubljana, SI.
Winner T-shirt design competition at Magdalena International Festival of Creative Communication. Maribor, SI.
Finalist award for printed ad at the Magdalena International Festival of Creative Communication. Maribor, SI.
Awarded flag design at the New flag of the EU competition. Skopje, MK.
Extra artisan trade workshop export complete import programme. Skopje, MK: Press to exit project space.
Exploration into new grid systems. Pattern typography. In: Proceedings of the annual conference of JSSD, 55.
Avant-garde tendencies in graphic design and typography in the 1990s. With Masayuki Yamamoto. In: Proceedings of the annual conference of JSSD, 54.
Exploration into new grid systems. Pattern typography. In: Japanese society for the science of design (JSSD) conference. Hiroshima, JP.
Avant-garde tendencies in graphic design and typography in the 1990s. In: Japanese society for the science of design (JSSD) conference. Hamamatsu, JP.
Open associations to type within semantic typography. Skopje, MK: Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje.
Simple words with Kana simplified. Skopje, MK: Press to exit project space.
Designing content. (5 – 9 November). With NORM & Piet Pinnaer. Skopje, MK.
Floating sites. Belgrade, CS.
Collectives and loners. Bitola, MK.
Visual identities workshop. In: Magdalena festival of creative communication. Maribor, SI.
Sorry I couldn’t make it. (5 – 9 November). Tottori, JP.
Something to do with boredom. (22 September – 4 October). Maastricht, NL: Jan van Eyck Academie.
Typeless, meaningful. (28 February – 8 March). Tokyo, JP: Store.
Simple words with Kana simplified. (12 January – 5 February). Skopje, MK: Press to exit project space.
DENES. Young visual artist annual award exhibition. Skopje, MK.
Logo cities. In: Logo cities. An international symposium on signage, branding, and lettering in public space. (4 – 5 May). Montreal, CA: Concordia University.
Citism. Belgrade, CS: Kontekst galerija; Skopje, MK: Press to exit project space; Sofia, BG: Mobile Studios.
Multiplications. With Yane Calovski & Hristina Ivanoska. Skopje, MK: Museum of the City of Skopje.