Visuals and synsemic writings for more-than-human scenarios
New exploring agents for graphic design
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.82068/pgjournal.2025.22.41.11Keywords:
Agency, Complexity, More-than-human, Visual Writings, Digital NarrationsAbstract
his contribution explores the evolution of digital graphic design beyond an anthropocentric perspective by adopting an exploratory approach that can recount silent natural processes and the intricate relationships between humans and non-humans. This evolution is evident in synsemic writing and visualisations that blend images, text, sound and spatial interaction to transform graphic design into a tangible, multisensory experience. With the advent of digital technology, writing loses its linear, alphabetic nature as text becomes hybridised with images, coding and movement. The sequential nature of information gives way to navigation, connections and relationships.
We analyse a series of visual and synsemic writings as interpretative practices that measure and reproduce
environments, ecosystems and living and non-living subjects, moving from linear to reticular writing. It is no longer just a matter of 'reading' but of 'inhabiting' and, metaphorically, feeling the text and image; experiencing them directly.
Described as a true geological era recognised for its sudden impermanence, the digital era paradoxically enables us to transcend anthropocentric intentions. This is exemplified by the project Designing with More-Than-Humans, which uses advanced technologies to give a voice to seemingly inanimate elements such as rocks and volcanic landscapes in order to promote anti-hierarchical and interspecies ecological awareness.
This approach culminates in the design of a novel human–nature relationship, translating into visual interactions mediated by hybrid technologies and transdisciplinary immersive experiences. Its ultimate aim is to subvert traditional design logics and promote responsible representation of natural ecosystems, revealing the intrinsic interconnectedness of our lives with the non-human.
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