design a dictionary 1

new project: design a dictionary

brief:

           'It is often forgotten that dictionaries are artificial repositories, put together well after the language they define. The roots of language are irrational and of a magical nature'

Jorge Luis Borges

define 40 words (suggested)

design a dictionary in any medium

I'm sort of battling with two different ideas, the first involves making several 'pillows' that you place over the head. The inside of the pillows will be lined with different fabrics, ranging from luxuriously soft plush or velvet to rough hessian or other fibrous material. The idea is that the recipient rubs the fabric on their face, smells it, 'senses' the fabric and then describes what he or she feels to onlookers. I don't know whether the outside of the fabric will have the word printed on it yet. 

Yesterday I bought some pillow cases and some velvet to line one of them with, I'll admit the velvet feels a little disappointing, but i think its important to line one and test it out ...

So the idea would be a series of them, creating almost an interactive dictionary that allows you to experience the word, and therefore understand it in a way thats more tangible than simply reading about the feel of something in a book. It's like trying to convey the view from the top of a mountain or an emotion, to be fully understood in needs to be experienced.

One friend pointed out that they could potentially be seen as offensive, and proposed the idea of boxes as alternative .. the thing is I want the fabric to be able to move and be placed against the face .. anyway, we'll see...

The second idea is a film that 'animates' or defines the word without image, so that although i say that it will be a film, all the viewer will see will be the word on the screen accompanied by audio of myself reading the definition.

Choosing words such as walk, run, breathe etc and I will record my voice as I do each one so capturing the 'action in action' ..

I did a little experiment in Lucas Gardens near the school and recorded my voice reading aloud the definition of run, whilst actually running (or jogging ha ha) ... which was quite difficult actually as i couldn't hold the text still ... also I thought about experimenting with different shoes such as tap shoes or heels to enhance the sound of the foot steps.

I also did a little experiment and ran around the park/exercised in my room to make myself out of breath and then recorded myself reading the definition of 'breathe.'

The result I think is quite successful because it begins with the breath being very harsh and strained, which actually expresses the action entirely and you almost feel breathless just listening to it. It's easily understood as everyone has experienced it, athlete or not.

erghh.. the other videos arent uploading! will keep you posted ..

night