Inspired by the ideas of Jacques Derrida and how his notion of deconstruction can be applied to translation theory, I focused on his notion of the 'traces' of language, the idea that one sign in a given language is generated from the difference it has from other signs, and that each contains a trace of what it does not mean.

To visually represent this, I put one of Derrida's quotes, 'The question of deconstruction is through and through, a question of translation' through every language in google translate, mapping out the way language literally deconstructs and shifts due to each sign's traces. By printing this sequence on tracing paper and in concertina form,the reader can see through each translation onto the subsequent one.

Concertina book, white card, tracing paper 11.7 x 16.5 in.