- As a species, we are hardwired to create narrative.
We look at the world
and attempt to make sense of our surroundings.
Part of this process involves assigning a story
to images we don't understand.
The man crossing the street
with a suitcase just returned from a trip
or has been kicked out of the house.
The couple with the dog off the leash must walk
through life feeling entitled and probably will be having
a wonderful brunch with beautiful friends.
And so on.
We make these stories with no more information
than what we see and hear.
We do the same thing when viewing images in design.
Designing a book cover of a series of plays is not easy.
The subject matter can be complex and dense.
A witty and clever metaphor
may minimize the importance of the work.
Often, designers turn to a simple typographic solution
to avoid trouble of miscommunication.
Alvin Lustig's cover for a compilation of plays,
"3 Tragedies" by Federico Garcia Lorca,
combines multiple images
that demand the viewer create a narrative.
Each image alone communicates its own story.
The moon can point to romance or lunacy.
The ocean can represent emotional depths or sensuality.
And writing in the sand might communicate impermanence.
The cross has a multitude of narratives attached to it.
And the wadded up piece of paper
with handwriting insists we imagine someone writing it
and tossing it into a trashcan.
All of these combined create a story
that is individual to each viewer.
My associations will be different than yours.
The juxtaposition of images adds
to the personal point of view.
This may not be as direct as American painting,
but it encompasses the intricacy
and ambiguity of Lorca's work.
And to make something even more complex,
why not add more images and text?
For a lecture series on California myths,
I chose to create a series of posters
that could be placed in the urban setting.
Each image of a Southern California concept is paired
with the song lyrics about the same.
The viewer is asked to create meaning
between the lyrics and the image.
When placed as a group,
the viewer must then understand the range of ideas inherent
in the myths and preconceptions of the California lifestyle.
The result is a collage of contradictions and questions,
much like daily life in Los Angeles.
Jennifer Morla's poster for The Mexican Museum
introduces cultural references and art history.
The large image is a photograph of the artist Frida Kahlo.
The typography is borrowed
from hand-painted signs in Mexico.
The pattern comes from Mexican oilcloth.
Finally, Morla includes the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Individually, each element has cultural
and historical significance.
They are all embedded with plot and narrative.
On the surface, the viewer recognizes
that this is a nontraditional museum experience
of Mexican culture.
The depth of the message comes
from the layering of images with distinct meaning.
Working with multiple images to tell a story opens the door
for individual perception.
I may read one message,
while you may take away a different one.
This isn't the best choice
for projects requiring a fast read
or the next Apple product homepage,
but in cases where the subject matter
is less literal and direct,
multiple images can create a powerful puzzle
that asks to be solved.