Inspired by illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, Covenant presents a novel approach to handcrafted pixel art. This series invents intimate new letterforms by intertwining two uppercase letters. Created using a custom drawing tool specially programmed by the artist, these works appear ornate from a distance while carefully revealing their low-fidelity, checkerboard construction upon closer inspection.
The subject matter of this work references a time when scribes meticulously crafted letters by hand. The act of illustrating manuscripts elevated the text, serving as both a decorative and instructive complement to better guide the reader's understanding. In an era before the printing press and mechanical reproducibility, each tome was unique — a celebratory object that transcended mere legibility.
In this series titled Covenant, the artist's work echoes this tradition through her precise motions crafted with a mouse, a continuing exploration of the hand drawn nature of a manuscript’s illuminated letters. The compositions thus serve as an exploration of the past and present, nodding to a revival of medieval calligraphy through a digital media.
This series is part of Edelman's ongoing exploration of typography and lettering across cultures, technologies, and eras. Throughout history, text has persisted and adapted, swiftly inhabiting new media and capturing humanity's experiences across place and time.
This piece, Covenant 35 "Hurstwic-Rathfael" is part of a series of 52 1/1s launched on SuperRare on July 25th, 2024.
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