Book Design | Typographic Studies
The Descendant
A visual study of the poem The Descendant by Elisaveta Bagryana for the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD). In the poem the narrator contemplates her unknown heritage and ancestors, whose strong presence and legacy she can sense in the “ancient blood of all my kin”.
The study follows the poem, while exploring the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet through the lens of three distinct historic influences in the country - Ottoman, Russian and Western. These influences distort the typographic forms to create landscapes and collages that reflect the inner turmoil experienced by the narrator in her quest to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors.
“Elena’s design work has a beautiful balance of form and content. She is able to connect with audiences and develop impactful design compositions that make people feel something.”
- Stacey Pitsillides, PhD, Assistant Professor at Northumbria University