Domino is a game that involves arranging little oblong tiles on end to form long lines. They have markings, called pips, like those on a die. When a domino is tipped over, it can knock over the next tile in line and more—a chain reaction that continues until all the pieces fall. People use dominoes to play games, but they can also make more elaborate art by arranging them in curved lines, in a grid that forms pictures when they fall or even into 3D towers and pyramids. A person who creates such domino setups is known as a domino artist.
In the early years of her career, Hevesh focused on creating domino artwork in a variety of themes and styles. Now she is a full-time professional who uses her talents to create dominoes for movies, TV shows and events—including an album release party for Katy Perry. Hevesh has worked on projects involving more than 300,000 dominoes. She’s even set a Guinness record for the most dominoes in a circular arrangement. Her largest installations take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but once they do, they’re stunning to behold.
Hevesh is a genius when it comes to designing her mind-blowing domino setups. She follows a version of the engineering-design process, which begins with determining the theme or purpose of an installation. Then she brainstorms images or words that might inspire her design. Then she works through a step-by-step process to create the individual components of the display. Finally, she tests the entire setup to ensure everything will work as planned.
The word domino also has a more common meaning: It refers to a strategy that involves deploying military resources in support of non-communist forces fighting the Ngo Dinh Diem regime in South Vietnam. In the 1960s, President Eisenhower used this strategy as a means of increasing U.S. support of the anti-communist forces in Laos and Cambodia, in a bid to contain communism in Southeast Asia.
The term domino can also refer to a piece of pizza made with thick dough, topped with cheese and other ingredients and baked in an oven until it is crisp and bubbly. The resulting treat is a favorite among many Americans. A similar recipe can be found in the book The Joy of Cooking. It is also popular in many countries throughout the world.