Discovering Ambigrams: A Childhood Journey into Visual Symmetry
By
fortran77
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
This personal narrative recounts the author's childhood discovery of ambigrams during a 1950 family road trip from New Jersey to California. The story begins with the family's cross-country journey in their 1947 Kaiser, where the author first noticed the symmetrical properties of gas station logos. The article explores how this early fascination with visual symmetry evolved into a lifelong appreciation for ambigrams - words or phrases that can be read in multiple orientations. The piece combines personal memoir with artistic reflection on the esoteric art form that revealed a new kind of visual beauty.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledIn August of 1950, when I was just a little tyke and my sister Laura but a babe in arms, our family set out in our 1947 Kaiser from Princeton, New Jersey, for parts West.
I loved the smell of gasoline when we filled up, and was fascinated by the logos of the many different brands of gas.
One day, as we were passing through Ohio, my dad pointed at the sign of the Stand
The esoteric art form that revealed a new kind of beauty to me
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