PRESENTED BY MICHAEL HENRIQUEZ
Elevation Universe, 2020
I learned that emotions and tangibility can deliver a vast amount of language. Elevation Universe is a two part book communicating the rise and decline of emotions and physicality through the use of graphs, lines, color and imagery.
The main objective of Elevation Universe was creating a language to communicate the theme without using the English language. Emotional Elevation (Book 1) connects various emotions alongside high saturated graphs to demonstrate positive or negative emotions. Physical Elevation (Book 2) carriers over the design language of Book One but highlights the height in physical items.
FOUR SIX EIGHT FIVE
FOUR SIX EIGHT FIVE (2020) – Installation by Michael Henriquez
After creating Emotional and Physical Elevation I wanted to rethink a way the audience can interact and visually enjoy elevation.
Four Six Eight Five is an installation located in Marfa, Texas. The goal of Four Six Eight Five is to further carry the idea of negative + empty space to highlight the usage of graphs. I want the audience to experience the graphs in a location with zero distractions (mimicking negative space). The installation grants the opportunity to enjoy the vibrancy of the language in tangible form.
KEYNOTES + SKETCHES
The underlying theme of elevation is physical, mental, visual and internal changes within the body. A note in my sketches I observed was "Life is enjoyable, but what makes life intriguing is when things change." I started with three keywords: elevation, bend, and transformation. After mind mapping I decided to continue with elevation. I focused on ideas that elevated the body emotionally and physically.
The most challenging part of piecing this two part book was creating a language to communicate the theme of the book without becoming too repetitive but still related across Book 1 and 2. The use of positivity and negativity in graphs, charts, and line work deliver whether the emotion is positive, negative or a mixture of both. The use of the similar language in Book 2 illustrates the height of physical items.
The design of Elevation Universe was inspired by scientific charts; the flush of colors on them, and the way the lines lead the eyes across information that is difficult to understand. I was heavily inspired by the beauty of charts within clinics and dentists but I didn't really understand what any of the information entails. Elevation Universe communicates an idea but also integrates the complexity of scientific information.
