Symbols, Iconography, and the Power of Recognition: The Science of Object Recognition and the Art of Simplified Forms - Chapter 7

Symbols, Iconography, and the Power of Recognition

Welcome to the seventh instalment of this series exploring how my art interacts with the science of recognition. To view the rest of the article series click here.

The Role of Symbols in Recognition

Symbols are an essential part of human communication, used for centuries to represent ideas, places, and identities.

From ancient cave paintings to modern corporate logos, symbols strip away unnecessary details, reducing complex concepts into recognisable visual forms. Unlike written language, which varies across cultures, symbols rely on shape, contrast, and association to convey meaning universally.

In my artwork, I explore this visual shorthand by representing some structures by symbols and icons that allude to their nature and essence.

Through this process, I test the limits of recognition—how much detail can be removed while still allowing a viewer to identify a place? This approach highlights how memory and context fill in the gaps where precision is lacking, and is arguably the most extreme test of identification that I undertake in my artwork.

Here I have created a symbol of angel wings with a halo, alongside lyrics from the first song played at the venue, to represent a famous UK London nightclub.

How Symbols Become Universally Recognised

While the design community can go into a lot more depth on the creation and science behind symbols themselves, certain qualities make them more effective:

• Distinctiveness – Unique and simple shapes stand out. The golden arches of McDonald's or the Olympic rings are prime examples.

• Repetition and Exposure – The more a symbol is seen, the more ingrained it becomes in collective memory. Traffic signs, hand signals like the peace sign, brand logos, and national flags gain recognition through widespread use.

• Emotional and Cultural Associations – A symbol's meaning deepens when it connects to history or emotion, such as the peace sign or a country's coat of arms.

  
  

While I don't seek to invent symbols for universal recognition, I sometimes will leverage existing ones to represent a building or place.

While to many this is merely a man on a chariot, to a certain community, this image is synonymous with a popular (but secret) meeting place

The Psychology of Icon Recognition

Our brains are wired to identify patterns quickly. We recognise faces, objects, and symbols almost instantaneously because of the way our visual system processes familiar cues. This is why simplified icons—like restroom signs, airport symbols, and emojis—can convey meaning at a glance.

In design, this principle is used to create universally understandable signage and branding. A cross typically signals healthcare, while a flame suggests danger. These associations become automatic, allowing for near-instant comprehension.

breaking down familiar places into their most fundamental forms. Some compositions are immediately recognisable, while others require a moment of reflection, engaging the viewer in an act of recognition and memory recall.

Handwritten Clues: Bridging Symbols and Recognition

In my work, I explore these cognitive shortcuts. Sometimes handwritten clues over the symbols help guide the viewer toward recognition due to the ambiguity symbols can have.

These clues can reference a landmark’s history, cultural significance, or unique characteristics, acting as a bridge between abstraction and familiarity.

Sometimes, I use humour or unexpected descriptions to create a stronger connection between the viewer and the subject. By adding a layer of text, I encourage a more interactive process of identification, making the act of recognition not just visual but also intellectual and emotional.

For those that can't tell the location from the symbol itself, words can help indicate its identity to those that are connected to the subject.

Artists and designers have long harnessed the power of symbols to convey meaning beyond the literal. Some well-known applications include:

• Religious and Mythological Art – Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Christian iconography, and Buddhist mandalas all use symbols to represent spiritual ideas.

• Propaganda and Political Imagery – From war posters to national emblems, simplified imagery has been used to evoke strong emotions and unify movements.

• Minimalist and Abstract Art – Movements like Suprematism and Bauhaus focused on geometric forms and reduced compositions to their purest visual elements.

  
  

My work aligns with this tradition but giving it a slighlty modern twist by stripping enstire locations down to near-symbolic levels, instead of merely using symbols within wider paintings themselves.

Conclusion: The Power of Simplicity in Recognition

Symbols are a bridge between form and meaning, allowing us to recognise places, ideas, and emotions with just a glance. By distilling landmarks and locations to their simplest shapes, my art plays with the boundaries of recognition, asking the viewer to engage with memory and association in new ways.

In the next chapter, we’ll examine how perception and context influence what we recognise and why.