Gates open at nightfall, and close at dawn.

Circus Somniorum (Latin: “circus of dreams”) encompasses an aesthetic system for a Victorian circus open only at night. Based on Le Cirque des Rêves from the best-selling novel The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Circus Somniorum is a unique visual experience that blurs the lines between analog and digital graphic design. The system uses an integration of traditional and contemporary letterpress techniques to create a sense of timelessness, so the work feels at home in both the 19th century and the 21st. Patterns and motifs are pulled from late 19th century fashion, wallpaper, books, and the natural sciences. Amidst Le Cirque des Rêves, everything is black and white, with hints of silver here and there—the tents, posters, costumes, food, signs, furniture, even the ground is powdered to uphold the palette, and this visual system stays true to that aesthetic.

The work explores method and medium, valuing process equally with product, biting back the commercialization and commodification of graphic design, and, in the simplest terms, focuses on an exploratory practice that ultimately produces beautiful things.

WORK  //  letterpress  // two 36"x48" centerpiece prints + diecut hangtags + admission tickets + diecut business cards + book jackets + folding notecards + diecut invitations