Monday, March 17, 2003

On Letters and Numbers in Design Continuing our on-going look at what elements are put on containers that house special objects....we have noted some containers that use numbers and letters in their design. Why? Some writing simply describes the object within. Grave Markers Some Urns Some writing is a blessing or a prayer. Grave Markers Modern Portable Shrine Tibet Portable Shrine (possibly). Indian Portable Shrine (possibly). Some writing refers to a myth, story, or fact about the object. Engraving on a keepsake box Engraving on chalice Indian Portable Shrine (possibly). Some writings may be envoking the power of the written word/number. This may be a dual role where one person may be able to read the text, and another person can not. The person who is not able to read the text, may still realize that the symbols mean something and thus derive the importance of the object from that. (This is similar to my post on Xu Bing's work A Book from the Sky.) 10:48:23 PM