John Langdon – Symmetrices

About the Artist

Artist Statement

I like to investigate and expand upon ideas as they are represented in language.
Words are subject matter of almost all my graphic design work and paintings.
My work is underpinned by themes of philosophy, symmetry, ambiguity, and illusion.

Artist Biography

John graduated from Dickinson College with a B.A. in English. He took courses at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and The Philadelphia College of Art.
Primarily a visual artist, almost all of John’s graphic design work focuses on words (logos and
ambigrams) and words are the subject matter of almost all his paintings as well. He maintains a
subordinate career as a writer.
John’s book Wordplay was published in 1992 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and again in 2005 by
Broadway Books. Wordplay features about 60 of his ambigrams, each accompanied by a brief essay that ties together the word’s definition, usage, etymology, and the duality inherent in its meanings.
Dan Brown commissioned several ambigrams for his book Angels & Demons, and named his perennial protagonist Robert Langdon in John’s honor.
John taught Typography and Logo Design courses at Drexel University for 27 years