Di·a·graph·i·a
Publisher: Sarah Hulsey
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Somerville, Massachusetts
Language: eng
Number of pages: 12
Subjects: Language and languages in art; Linguistics in art; Artists' books; Specimens
Other titles: Diagraphia
Description: "Diagraphia is a series of eight woodcut and letterpress prints that explores the structure of language through reference to the visual systems in historical scientific diagrams and maps. For each piece, I have explored how the visual devises of a particular diagram (concentric circles of planetary orbits, the stacked boxes of the periodic table, and so on) can be used to represent some aspect of language. The language of each text is transformed into patterns and arrangements according to its syntax, the statistical frequency of certain words, etymologies, etc. This turns the relationship of text to diagram on its head: the diagram that was once an analytical tool becomes the central imagery; the text that was once descriptive and scholarly becomes the source material for the linguistic image. The project reimagines the imagery of science as a way to convey the complex architecture behind language, using analytical tools to represent the structural wonder of language." --
Notes: Artist's book by Sarah Hulsey.

"The images were printed by hand from woodcut blocks in the Japanese style called moku hanga using hand ground pigments, watercolors, and sumi ink on Nishinouchi paper. In the words of Nightingale and In the words of Porphyry also include an overlay printed on Korean Cham Dak Hanji paper. Text was printed letterpress from polymer plates on a Vandercook 15-21 press. Each print was produced in an edition of 15. A deluxe portfolio including eight prints, two overlays, title page, and colophon was produced for the first ten copies. Prints numbered 11-15 were sold individually."--Colophon.

Issued in blue cloth portfolio with magnetic closure; letterpress printed title mounted on front cover.

Rare Book copy: No. 3; Colophon and each print signed by the artist.