A look into 90's type design

"The dream of the 90's is alive..."

The theme song for Portlandia goes through my head, as I open the first edition of FUSE, Neville Brody and Jon Wozencroft's experimental publication on fonts and typography. As the societal shift from analogue to digital strengthens, and as a self-referential post-internet aesthetic grows tired by the day, we are seeing similar parallels in approach to when FUSE was first published in 1991.

The birth of FUSE followed the impact of Mac/DTP on graphic design's evolution. Suddenly the type designer and graphic designer could be one, allowing a shift from the traditionalist ideas that had come before them. Wozencroft described FUSE as "A dynamic new forum for typography that will stimulate a new sensibility in visual expression, one grounded in ideas, not just image."

The first issue features four typefaces, Can You..?, State, Stealth and Maze 91. All of which come on a Floppy Disc and are featured in four A2 posters.

Stealth by Malcolm Garret

Inspired by drop capitals and Japanese visual systems, Stealth centres round a geometric platform. The 45-degree angles and curves give you just enough shape to decipher meaning.

State by Neville Brody
ostly decorative and challenging legibility. State crops the letterforms and creates robust block capitals using the original forms deconstruction.

Maze 91 by Ian Swift
Influenced by the Bitmap font, Swift advances the natural labyrinth like formations into a full maze system.

Can You...? by Phil Baines
Despite reducing fundamental elements of the Clarendon letterforms, Can You...? manages to remain legible.

7 things — Vol. 1

I spend a lot of time on the internet and as a result I've created a pretty weighty database of interesting things. Each month I'll be picking the best 7 I've come across. Why 7? Well it was more than five and less than 10.

1. The Bauhaus still serves as a source of inspiration for nearly every creative field which is why having an archive of 32,000 works accessible online is a good, good thing for everyone. 

2.  Experimental Jetset have a full archive of their work and texts online. Online archives are a huge passion of mine apparently, I even have a whole bookmark folder dedicated to them. 

3.  Podcasts have changed my life. Perhaps a tad overdramatic but they have added some productivity to my bus journeys. I have always gravitated towards books that share thought processes which is probably why philosophy seemed so appealing. Stephen West's Philosphize This! is definitely worth checking out if you want a pretty intense foundation on the subject. 

4.  Frieze this year was overwhelming like always. If you couldn't make it, or did make it but spent most of your time people watching (easily done) be sure to read these highlights.

5.  I've never really lusted after a diffuser before and despite the current trend amongst bloggers I hadn't really felt compelled to buy one. Until I watched this video by MUJI. Ahh marketing.

6.  To fashionistas you will be familiar with his work with Kenzo, to the art world you will probably just know him but to the designers and vernacular you might not. I recommend if you don't know Maurizio Cattelan already you start here with his troubling Toilet Paper.

7.  The best fashion advice I can give, and I'll probably touch on this in the future is to go onto Mr Porter and toggle 'Outfit View' on. Instantly see hundreds of wearable outfits to either purchase or buy similar elsewhere. You are welcome 👞

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Publish, Pretend, Curate — This months reading list

October 2016
I guess as it's the beginning of the month, my book choices don't really reflect the usual Autumnal themes. Maybe as it hits halloween I will pick up some fiction to help curb recent voids caused by Stranger Things ending and to be honest, Bon Ivers latest release has me covered on those cosy feels ✌︎

75 Artist Books: The Kaldewey Press, New York
Written by Clemens von Lucius
Published by Princeton Architectural Press
Designed by Gesine Hildebrandt

Founded in 1985 in rural Poestenkill, NY by Gunnar A. Kaldewey. The Kaldewey Press has made exactly 75 books. These small run and hand made books really illuminate a contemporary version of publishing as an artistic practise. I use this book as inspiration and reference it often, as Kaldewey would use eccentric techniques with publishing. Like Lucio Fontana, Kaldewey makes the viewer aware of the materiality and the actions taken to produce it. 

Pretentiousness: Why it matters?
Written by Dan Fox
Published by Fitzcarraldo Editions
Designed by Ray O'Meara

Pretentiousness as a subject matter may cause a certain intrigue, and for good reason too. Tackling a word head on that perhaps summarises our anxiety about progression and individuality, better than it denounces the subject in question, is certainly no easy feat. Dan fox, co-editor at Frieze Magazine has witnessed his fair share of this ambiguous word, and successfully brings true meaning of the term. Fox passionately defends thinking and creativity, providing unique insights to the subject. It's an interesting read and (like Dan himself) straight to the point – it won't be long until you too are correcting any misuses of the word. How pretentious. 

A to Z of Curating
Written by Jens Hoffmann
Published by Jrp|Ringier
Designed by n/a

A quick summary of the development in curatorial practise over the last two decades. Set in a diarist style which breaks up the subject matter into engaging and intellectual entries, Jens Hoffmann has produced a stimulating book that can function as a great primer to curation. For me, I was sold at the covers reference to AZ Maps.