The design ethos focused on raising awareness of the underlying arrangement of the compositions; graphically represented from a distinct Sikh motif.
Centred is a geometric interpretation of Ik Onkar (one supreme reality) formed by an arrangement of rings sized within the Fibonacci sequence; intersected by a translation of the opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Resulting in a black square suspending a white chakram (ring). To the right of the square is a comprehensive textual overview.
Overview
2008 marked the tercentenary of the title ‘Guru' conferred upon the central Sikh book (Guru Granth Sahib). The independent work in partnership with Itvinder Singh Hayre who provided research on the original text, copy and compilation of the source data.
The design ethos focused on raising awareness of the underlying arrangement of the compositions; graphically represented from a distinct Sikh motif. Resulting in a black square suspending a white chakram (ring). To the right of the square is a comprehensive textual overview.
The chief visual component is the chakram ring chart of author compositions ordered into 32 segments. Each shown in the order of appearance, 31 segments are ragas (improvisation melodic frameworks) with the first classed as non-musical. The segments are bar graphs of the number of compositions by each author.
The chakram is encircled with labeled donut charts depicting: proportion of the types of composition; ratio of non-melodic compositions; ratio of compositions not by the Sikh Guru’s; and author contributions. Along the inside edge of the chakram are eight points for the phases of the day, which are in turn connected to the related 31 ragas.
Centred is a geometric interpretation of Ik Onkar (one supreme reality) formed by an arrangement of rings sized within the Fibonacci sequence; intersected by a translation of the opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib. From the centre outwards are the 38 points representing each of the stanzas from the opening composition by founder of the Sikh path Guru Nanak.
100 posters were printed single colour on A0 size (approx. 47 x 33 inches).
