Typeforce 88:88
A Collective Reset
November 2016 was, for many, a rude awakening, followed by a month of confusion and apprehension. Coming up on the new year, we resolved to pull the plug on the season behind us and get to work. With Typeforce 8 around the corner, we wanted to create a space for our community to hit a collective refresh button and let a little light shine in. We call it 88:88.
CREATING A RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENT WITH TYPE
Imagine a digital clock upon the moment of reset. When fully illuminated, a segmented display represents measuring time, either minutes elapsed or remaining. It suggests we pause to reflect on what we may have missed as we tuned out and unplugged from the world around us. Upon reboot we come back online with a passion to re-engage.
The 88:88 installation was meant to reflect, react and respond. The piece flashed to its own rhythm while allowing influence from the noise of the crowd. One pattern set in relation to another resulted in an unexpected conversation.
PROCESS: DESIGN & MATERIAL SELECTION
We started with the abstract idea of illumination — a slow build that reveals light in darkness. Using cheap materials in repetition created a solution that is elegant, magical, even dreamlike. We assembled 88:88 with a mix of custom-built and off-the-shelf materials: plaster poured into plastic grids from drop-ceiling light fixtures, T8 fluorescent bulbs hand-wired to AC plugs, A Grade wood cut to produce 8‑foot numbers, a DJ light controller with a microphone input and lots of 3M Velcro tape.
BUILD & INSTALLATION
As one might expect with any wild experiment, we hit a few snags. Poured into the grids, the plaster should have taken 4 days to harden. With the cold temperature in the gallery window, it simply refused to dry. After much sweating (the plaster and our nerves), we popped out each individual pixel in the grid to create a gradient-like effect. What a pain! Bloody fingers, dried skin, tedious work.
This one really came down to the wire. (For real, like mere minutes from opening.) But it all worked out in the end and the final effect surprised even us. Combined with the warm wood light fixtures, the plaster grid faces created a smooth yellow glow against the wall. The unpredictable flashing pattern was entrancing; at times it looked like it was debating itself, one opinion fighting another. Other times it appeared to reach a calm, rational agreement — something we’re hoping to see more of in the years ahead.