How Language Locates Us

Newham Sixth Form College BTEC students create the world's largest font with artists Yara El-Sherbini and Jeremy Wood

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A student holding a GPS device and a drawing

GPS instrument and perimeter drawing held by student.  Photo:  Jeremy Wood


Students from Newham Sixth Form College worked with artists Yara El-Sherbini and Jeremy Wood on the How Language Locates Us project. The work will be displayed as part of Iniva's Mapping Beyond exhibition series at Rivington Place.

The project explored the role of language as a marker to identify time and place and to map experiences. A series of text-based works were created from the students' life experiences around themes of community, home and culture.

The group then created the world's largest font using GPS mapping devices, developing individual characters and exploring the relationship of language to space. Playing with sound and meaning, they then created a body of work that the 'worlds largest font' is applied to.

How Language Locates Us is part of Creative Mapping, a three-year learning initiative involving schools and colleges in East London.


How Language Locates Us


Group of sixth form students listening to artist Yara El-Sherbini in their classroom Newham student works on image of aeroplane outlined with text Students hand holding a GPS mapping device and a mapped outline of the worlds largest font letter 'c' Two students walk together to map out the worlds largest font. They are holding GPS devices and and paper in their hands Five students standing in field working out their route around to create their font Students in classroom with artist Yara El-Sherbini in classroom