A domino is a small rectangular game piece used in a variety of games. One side of the piece is blank, while the other has an arrangement of dots, like those on a die, that range from one to six. In games, the player places a domino edge to edge against another domino until their value matches. Then the first domino falls, triggering the next to fall and continuing until all are down. Dominoes are also stood up to create beautiful, elaborate patterns that look impressive when they’re knocked over. In fact, the word “domino” is also used to describe any system that depends on the action of one element causing the actions of many others, an idea called the domino effect.
Hevesh’s domino creations require a lot of planning and practice to get just right. To start, she thinks of the theme or purpose of an installation and brainstorms images that might be appropriate to the subject. Then she begins building the pieces that will make it happen. As she does, she’s constantly checking that the work is on track and making corrections when needed. She has worked on projects involving up to 300,000 dominoes, and her largest setups can take several nail-biting minutes to fall.
When she’s done, Hevesh puts the final touches on her creation. She tests it with a smaller version and films the process in slow motion to make sure it’s working correctly. Then she begins to put all the sections together, starting with the biggest 3-D parts. Once that’s finished, she adds flat arrangements and lines of dominoes that connect the parts.
For Hevesh, the most important physical phenomenon when it comes to dominoes is gravity. This force pulls a falling domino toward Earth and provides the energy that pushes it into the next one. It’s a critical component of any domino set, and Hevesh’s works wouldn’t be possible without it.
In a similar way, the domino effect is a powerful force that can have a profound influence on your life. When you change one behavior, that change can trigger a chain reaction of related behaviors that eventually shift your identity as the type of person who makes sure to do certain things, such as making sure your bed is always made every morning and putting away dirty dishes or Tupperware in the cupboard.
Domino’s has tapped into this concept to great success. When founder Tom Monaghan began opening locations, he was determined to keep Domino’s focused on pizza and other quick offerings, but he also understood that the company needed to be more than just a pizza shop. That led to a campaign that involved hiring celebrity chefs to spice up the menu; working with crowd-sourced auto designers on an innovative car to deliver pizzas (the Domino’s DXP is a colorful, cool-looking, modified Chevrolet Spark nicknamed a “domino-lovers Batmobile”); and even getting customers excited about ordering their pizza online or through mobile apps.