The commercialization and distribution of personal computers and software beginning in the 1970s laid the groundwork for the significant advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence the world is currently experiencing. Computational processes have since rapidly transformed the possibilities of visual communication, both aesthetically and systematically. In the field of typography, these technologies have enabled designers to create responsive and adaptive work using algorithms that analyze shapes and patterns, and generate iterations that push the subversion of traditional type designs and semantic experimentation.
Digital Witness: Algorithmic Spaces for Typography and Language examines this phenomenon featuring a selection of six projects that leverage computation to synthesize typographic forms and linguistic structures. Each project takes a unique approach, employing different tools and responding to a range of inputs—from text prompts and training datasets to physical movement and live data. Through this selection, the exhibition studies how computational logic expands visual possibilities in typography, while demonstrating the evolving interplay between human imagination and machine logic in cybernetic collaboration.
Artists: Vera Van de Seyp, Martín Azambuja, Andrea Trabucco-Campos, Allison Parrish, Michael Schmitz, and Anne-Dauphine Borione (aka Daytona Mess).
Presented in conjunction with Digital Witness: Revolutions in Design, Photography, and Film, on view at LACMA from November 24, 2024, through July 13, 2025.
Exhibition design and curation: Lavinia Lascaris, Ximena Amaya
