A Universal Lexicon (deluxe)
letterpress, metal relief plates | 7 ¼” x 5″ x ½” (closed), 14″ x 17 ¼” (open) | deluxe edition of 10 (out of 30) | 2018
In one of the most important scientific treatises of his era, Galileo compared the act of understanding the universe to reading a book in the language of mathematics. By comprehending the symbols and figures of this “grand book,” one could avoid wandering about in a dark labyrinth of confusion. This artist’s book uses the vehicle of translation—between languages, of text to image, and across domains of language—to illuminate the mathematics and science of linguistics underlying Galileo’s text. Illustrations representing the sounds, syntax, and logic alternate between Italian and English, providing a route through the arguments of the text.
This deluxe edition is bound in vellum and housed in a clamshell box. It is accompanied by three additional prints illustrating aspects of the linguistic structure of the two languages.