Typographica explores interviews from Alan Flecture, Ken Garland, John Commander etc”- (preface column 4)
’Spencer's post war experience as a typographer had rapidly brought him to the conclusion that was a need for a new magazine” (p.17) Alphabet and Image, turned into ‘Image’ in 1948 to address contemporary needs.
“asymmetric typography was not the answer to every design problem” (p.19)
Poster for a furniture exhibition by Celestino Piatti (p.28) features three dimensional colourful architectural structures and joins. Very much resembles a print/photographic reproduction of a sculpture/instillation or even window display.
Typographica Shifted decisively and became a much more visual publication in the 1960’s, due to the possibilities of new formats and methods of communication.
The introduction of multi-skilled and disciplined graphic designers “turning their hands to writing, rather than [hiring] experienced writers” (p.29).
Beautiful large and floral typography is often related to mourning and hurts (funerals). Sagmeister reviewed one on his Instagram lately, saying it was “beautifully formed”. This is a beautiful way a three dimensional artefact can be viewed on screen, increasing accessibility and possible interaction across the globe, rather than the place of origin.
“I would like to bring into this the unfashionable nature of ‘beauty’, which i find compelling and immediate. However, theoretically inadequate. I mean this in the simplest way- what if i was asked ‘why do you like concrete poetry?’, I could truthfully answer ‘because it is beautiful’”.- Ian Hamilton Finlay, Between Poetry and Painting 1965 (p.36 Typographica)
“The look is interpreted, but the content is not changed”. Josiah Reichardt on editor-in-chief of ‘Typographica’ Spencer. ‘Spencer wanted to present things in a “[obsurd and exciting] way” (p.40). Jasiah says Spencer was “Postmodern before his time”. He wanted to counter up emotive responses from the viewer “so often reproduced things in a size or a way that creates interesting page layouts.” Bergdorfs take the same approach when designing a window display, making sure a large ‘anchor’ feature is present …
Matt Talbot’s ‘Shrine’, Dublin 1992 by Spencer was essentially a graphic print from an instillation, utilising and breaking down typography to its simplest form. Props and lighting were used inspired by the powerful graphic contrasts of Bill Brandt’s work (p.64), yet shadow many overlaps with the world of fashion communication.
Spencers photographs were “devoid of people” (p.64) “though not without a ‘human presence’”. He photographed organic typography situated organically in nature, this shows societies influence and the prominence of the creation of art, wether typographically informative or by using street art as a tool, this could be taking from Louis Vuitton’s Paris store instilling a flavour of anarchy, or using street-windows as ‘The Peoples Picture Gallery’.
“There was a big difference in view points between a designer, an architect and a photographer’. By virtue of ones training or experience one simple looked at things in a different way to select different view points”.
Pages 91-7: Typographica, NS no 4, December 1961. Sequence of spreads from ‘Street Level’ indicate street photography Brownjohn and integrated with work from Bob Gill. They were selected to show “what weather, wit, accident, lack of judgement, bad taste, bad spelling, necessity and good loud repetition can do to put a sort of music into the streets were we walk”. That music is influenced by windows too! Society influences fashion, haute couture collections filter down through garment collections, and peek into the future is created by the subsequent displays, acting as an escape to the future. The public then get drawn in, purchase what is on offer and it gets filtered back through society once again. Trends and Fads such as typographic quotes such as ‘YOLO’ and ‘CND’ eventually fade out and the whole cycle restarts.
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