45 Symbols — Clay to Code
Invitation: Across–Time Zone Global Book Launch
The book 45 Symbols — Clay to Code brings together artists and designers from around the world who use visual language as a tool for inquiry—drawing inspiration from the still-undeciphered, 3,700-year-old Phaistos Disc. Across personal narratives and planetary concerns, the publication showcases how distinctive visual grammars emerge through experimentation, critical disruption, and bold storytelling. Published in 2026 by Slanted: Read more about the book
Join us for a distributed virtual book launch across three live 45-minute sessions, bringing together conversations with contributing artists and designers. Each session includes a brief introduction, two to three rapid-fire artist/designer presentations (7–10 minutes each), followed by a moderated Q&A. Free and open to everyone with registration.
Session I — Tuesday, April 14, (45 min)
NYC: 11:00 · Berlin: 17:00 · Johannesburg: 18:00 · Bogotá: 11:00 · Taipei: 23:00
REGISTRATION
- Clay to Code
Introduction I - LGBTQIA+ in Taiwan, by Aslin (Yu-Heng) Lin
Linguistic Architecture of Inclusion - /’lo.kwi:/ (loqui), by Raafia Jessa
The Synthesis of Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and Latin: A Lexicon of Shared Sound
Session II — Thursday, April 16, (45 min)
NYC: 14:00 · Berlin: 20:00 · São Paulo: 16:00 · Mexico City: 13:00 · Nairobi: 22:00
REGISTRATION
- Clay to Code
Introduction II - Dialectic Dancescape, by Lily Taggart
Choreographic Notations for Central Park - Chile Stamp, by Ricardo Vega
Marking the Land:Personal and Collective Impressions - Slavic Spirits Reimagined, by Angelina Foos
Whispered Presences and the Memory of Nature
Session III — Saturday, April 18, (45 min)
NYC: 05:00 · Berlin: 11:00 · Taipei: 18:00 · Kyoto: 19:00 · Sydney: 20:00
REGISTRATION
- Clay to Code
Introduction III - Glitched, by Farida Foda
Digital Objects, Extinction of the Imperfection? - St-uh-teh-rrr, by Kiara dos Reis
Tongue, Breath, Pause: A Visual Lexicon of Voice - Urbic, by Tracy Bassil
Urban Studies as Arabic Script and Streets
Meet the book — and us — in person
Berlin, A-Z Gallery, CounterSession #7 · April 23, 7pm
San Francisco, ATypI · May 28
The book is being released and distributed by Slanted, and you can explore it and order your copy here.
In our increasingly AI-saturated visual landscape, authentic creative voice has never been more valuable—or harder to develop. How do you transform research, personal stories, and complex ideas into compelling visual language that cuts through the noise?
This book reveals how emerging artists and designers worldwide are answering that question, developing systematic approaches to visual language inspired by one of humanity’s most mysterious communication artifacts: the 3,700-year-old undeciphered Phaistos Disc. From personal narratives to planetary challenges, the work curated for this publication demonstrates how to build distinctive visual grammar—unique systems for translating ideas into images that resonate. It’s less about “getting it right” and more about cultivating critical disruptions—through asking sharper questions, telling bolder stories, and rethinking how we see the world.
Over more than a decade, 45 Symbols has grown from six simultaneous design seminars into a global community shaped by open calls, workshops, exhibitions, and risograph publications. The 2,025 symbols gathered here are not only a living archive of research inquiries, but also a reflection of the impact of collective experimentation and cross-cultural dialogue.
For students, educators, and practitioners alike, this book offers both inspiration and actionable methods for cultivating the visual storytelling skills our image-flooded world needs most—authentic, systematic, and uniquely personal.
The book is being released and distributed by Slanted, and you can explore it and order your copy here.
All images © Slanted Publishers
Instagram: @45symbols
