Sufjan Stevens In Rainbows

Fans of organization, mathematics and music will enjoy the work of graphic designer Jax de Leon. For his senior project at SUNY Purchase, de Leon submitted Sufjan Stevens’ album “Come on Feel the Illinoise” to rigorous deconstruction into graphical layout. The results include, among others, word usage circles like targets, a sweeping, multicolor list of lyric content, and a beautiful, minimalist wheel of words that follow the word “the.” Only a listener of great—and likely obsessive—regard for a performer could produce such a painstaking analysis. The process adds a layer of translation to Steven’s music—from notes and lyrics rendered in sound, to sound rendered again into a formal and artistic interpretation.

Share
Tweet
Share

Julie Greicius was Art Editor for The Rumpus when it launched in January 2009. One year later, she became Senior Literary Editor, and later, Senior Features Editor. Julie also co-edited the first book published by The Rumpus, Rumpus Women, Vol. 1, featuring personal essays and illustration from twenty kick-ass contributors. Her writing been featured on The Rumpus, Midnight Breakfast, Stanford Medicine Magazine, and BuzzFeed, as well as in the anthology The 27th Mile. She lives in California and is a member of The Rumpus Advisory Board.

You May Also Like

The Rumpus publishes original fiction, poetry, literary humor writing, comics, essays, book reviews, and interviews with authors and artists of all kinds. Our mostly volunteer-run magazine strives to be a platform for risk-taking voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere. We lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers our readers may already know and love. We want to bring new perspectives into the conversation that will make us all look deeper.

We believe that literature builds community—and if reading The Rumpus makes you feel more connected, please show your support! Get your Rumpus merch in our online store. Subscribe to receive Letters in the Mail from authors, join us by becoming a monthly or yearly Member and/or make a tax-deductible donation here.

We support independent bookstores! 10% of sales on any titles purchased through our Bookshop.org page or affiliate links benefits the magazine.

The Rumpus in your Inbox!
The Rumpus
© 2025, The Rumpus.

Sign up for the weekly Rumpus

Once a week, we'll send you a roundup of what's new on the magazine, invites to upcoming events, open calls for submissions, and more!

Total
0
Share