The myth of Oedipus is ambiguous on many levels; When it comes to etymology, the interpretation of the myth itself, and the symbols. According to one interpretation, the name of Oedipus (the one with the swollen feet) defines his existence. Oedipus’ injury to his feet, the fundamental means by which we move, symbolizes the way in which his movements have been constrained and predefined since birth. Oedipus, in pursuit of knowledge, unsettles the balance of the universe, ignoring its principles. The unnaturalness of Oedipus’ incredible wisdom is evident in his ignorance and alienation, while it is also reflected in his incestuous relationship.
Inspired by the myth and its symbolism, we created a typeface based on Helvetica, a timeless and neutral typeface, characterized by balance and harmony, that makes an ideal foundation for experimenting. Designing based on a predefined system, we started deconstructing it, exploring the limits of alienation and unnaturalness, and ignoring the universal typographical principles in order to investigate form. We tried to visualize the foot injury by modifying the ends of each character and we investigated its effect on the anatomy and form of the letter. By combining the myth of Oedipus with Helvetica (hence the name), we created an experimental typeface that carries both the myth and our perspective.
