Preface
The idea for this thesis originated in an aesthetical interest in the decorative calligraphy and illustrations found in illuminated manuscripts from the middle-ages (fig. 1). Within these beautifully handcrafted books, one can find hidden meaning and information. But rather than by reading the books, the magic happens in their margins. In the margins of these masterpieces, entire narratives unfold, in the form of ornament, illustration and other scribbles. Besides functioning as a decorative frame for the text, this so called "marginalia" can teach us a lot about the society and circumstances, in which the manuscript was created. (I will return to this in a later chapter...)
The discovery that not only the surface level content, but also the frame surrounding it can hold information and add context, sparked my curiosity. In this thesis I wish to expand this newfound interest to all sorts of frames and the act of framing itself. I am curious to see what I can learn from looking at frames in different scenarios. Through this research I hope to develop a way of critically looking at the world around me, and to consume information in a more consciously.
Preface
The idea for this thesis originated in an aesthetical interest in the decorative calligraphy and illustrations found in illuminated manuscripts from the middle-ages (fig. 1). Within these beautifully handcrafted books, one can find hidden meaning and information. But rather than by reading the books, the magic happens in their margins. In the margins of these masterpieces, entire narratives unfold, in the form of ornament, illustration and other scribbles. Besides functioning as a decorative frame for the text, this so called "marginalia" can teach us a lot about the society and circumstances, in which the manuscript was created. (I will return to this in a later chapter...)
The discovery that not only the surface level content, but also the frame surrounding it can hold information and add context, sparked my curiosity. In this thesis I wish to expand this newfound interest to all sorts of frames and the act of framing itself. I am curious to see what I can learn from looking at frames in different scenarios. Through this research I hope to develop a way of critically looking at the world around me, and to consume information in a more consciously.
Preface
The idea for this thesis originated in an aesthetical interest in the decorative calligraphy and illustrations found in illuminated manuscripts from the middle-ages (fig. 1). Within these beautifully handcrafted books, one can find hidden meaning and information. But rather than by reading the books, the magic happens in their margins. In the margins of these masterpieces, entire narratives unfold, in the form of ornament, illustration and other scribbles. Besides functioning as a decorative frame for the text, this so called "marginalia" can teach us a lot about the society and circumstances, in which the manuscript was created. (I will return to this in a later chapter...)
The discovery that not only the surface level content, but also the frame surrounding it can hold information and add context, sparked my curiosity. In this thesis I wish to expand this newfound interest to all sorts of frames and the act of framing itself. I am curious to see what I can learn from looking at frames in different scenarios. Through this research I hope to develop a way of critically looking at the world around me, and to consume information in a more consciously.
Preface
The idea for this thesis originated in an aesthetical interest in the decorative calligraphy and illustrations found in illuminated manuscripts from the middle-ages (fig. 1). Within these beautifully handcrafted books, one can find hidden meaning and information. But rather than by reading the books, the magic happens in their margins. In the margins of these masterpieces, entire narratives unfold, in the form of ornament, illustration and other scribbles. Besides functioning as a decorative frame for the text, this so called "marginalia" can teach us a lot about the society and circumstances, in which the manuscript was created. (I will return to this in a later chapter...)
The discovery that not only the surface level content, but also the frame surrounding it can hold information and add context, sparked my curiosity. In this thesis I wish to expand this newfound interest to all sorts of frames and the act of framing itself. I am curious to see what I can learn from looking at frames in different scenarios. Through this research I hope to develop a way of critically looking at the world around me, and to consume information in a more consciously.