Looking back over the post I realized that I had not spelled out what I’m spelling out. What I’m going for here is a call and response kind of thing involving the question/interrogation/inquisitive gesture, coupled with a given form of answer. In the interests of simplicity I’m going with “Q” and “A” as two enclosed letters that can be hooked up together. The design parameters are highly constrained - you can’t just use any typeface and size, as one may not be able to pass through the hole of another. Furthermore, it appears that the thought construct is not self-evident.

As it is, this project is tied to one degree of literalism or another. This was pointed out by June, who is sensitive to the use of words in this kind of context: the pro’s and con’s of text. Art with too many labels and descriptors can be stale. For years I myself have circled the use of words and letters in paintings and constructs like the one in question. They’ve never been juicy in a Basquiat kind of way, and have ended up unresolved and in storage.

Intricate things, with independently moving parts, carved from single blocks can be a challenge and a profound form of art. Wielding a scalpel, I am going to try again this year to fashion a chronometer from the Thanksgiving turkey. Last year I was just finishing up work on the mainspring when my opus was snatched away and eaten.

How did you connect up the pieces together? I do not see any join marks? When I first saw this, I was reminded of Indian sculptures where intertwined freely moveable parts were carved from a single block of sculptural material.
I know about the Hampi ruins about 300 kilometers north of my home in Bangalore where a complete moveable 20 foot stone chariot (spoked wheels and all) was carved out of a single block of stone and were used for temple festivals in the early 1300’s.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Hampi

You overestimate me, I’m only half essed. Anyway, you may be saved by serifs.

They remain free range, except for the “E’ which should be considered on a case-by-case basis. How about it indeed. I always thought you were a sneaky essed kind of guy.

I’m sure your ingenuity can come up with a way to capture that useful E, but is the L lost? And how about that sneaky S, so dear to my heart?

Synesthesia fascinates me. Like the religious epiphany, synesthesia is enthusiastically described, but something that I have never experienced. So I might be a bad candidate for that post. But I have the beginnings of something about numbers and letters - Robert Indiana, Jasper Johns and a host of others come to mind.

David:

If I had the moola, I would do these letters in colored plexiglas. There is no end to the possible laminated effects and the changing criss-cross hues. In the meanwhile I’m thinking about how to effect your suggestion.

That’s true. Maybe the best approach, along those lines, is to paint each letter with the flag colors (and flag patterns, maybe) of a different country.