The records (images) of your archive will tell a story. How does the order/arrangement of visuals impact the narrative you are intending to convey?
This week, we will explore ways to arrange visual material and playfully implement elements & principles of visual language.
→ Asynchronous
Read, Watch, Write
Briefing:
Experiment 1: Bilderatlas.
Find it on vimeo—link and passw on Canvas.
Videos:
Lorna Simpson, Studio Visit @TATE
Batia Suter, Parallel Encyclopedia
Article:
Its Nice That, Design, Revolt, Rainbow: the pioneering work of graphic designer Willy Fleckhaus
Readings:
1. This helps with your homework for next week:
Koren, Leonard: Arranging Things, pp. 41-47
2. This helps to think about your research inquiry:
Colomina & Wigley: Are We Human, chapter 1
→ Prepare
Experiment 1 — Bilderatlas
Create 3 plates of a speculative atlas about your research topic:
- Use all 16 images—your 12 images (you can change these if you need to) + 4 images “stolen” from peers—on each panel.
- Take time to study the images and arrange them inspired by aspects of your research inquiry. You can also revisit the instructions everyone submitted this week. Only rule: you have to come up with three completely different ways of laying them out.
- Go back to your research inquiry (or area of interest) and give a title to each plate.
- Write one sentence about your process for each plate.
- Both title and process should not be part of the plate.
- You can use any software or analog process for this assignment.
- Submission/ bring to class:
3 plates, each on a tabloid size paper (11 x 17 inches)



Willy Fleckhaus
→ Article on It’s Nice That
→ Spreads on Pinterest
Aby Warburg
→ About the Mnemosyne Atlas (The Warburg Institute)
Lorna Simpson
→ Lorna Simpson Studio
→ Studio Visit @TATE
Additional Introduction to the grid:
→ Ellen Lupton explains the history and usage of the grid
→ An Introduction to Grids and How-to by Andrew Maher