| public address
system, berlin: 40 typographic interpretations of historical
speeches
The 2nd public address system exhibition took place in october 2004
as part of the GraficEurope conference 2004.
Pictures were taken at the berlin congress centre [bcc] by angharad
lewis (grafik magazine) who also curated the show.
see exhibit and pictures of the london exhibition here.
FL@33 was invited by henry peacock gallery and grafik magazine to
contribute one A2 poster for this exhibition. The final design interprets
a speech
by dalai lama addressing the european parliament in october 2001.
The remaining exhibition posters 'dalai lama speech' for henry peacock
gallery [ltd. edition 300, numbered, black + pantone 804] are available
at stereohype.com
– graphic art and fashion boutique.
exhibitors
Derek Birdsall (Omnific), Anthony Burrill, Margaret Calvert, Cathal
Connaughton, The Designers Republic, Paul Elliman, Bryan Edmondson
(Sea Design), Susanna Edwards & Martin McGrath, Jonathan Ellery
(Browns), Experimental Jetset, Paul Finn (BBC), Alan Fletcher, Malcolm
Frost, James Goggin (Practise), Peter van der Gulden (Przewalski),
Fernando Gutiérrez (Pentagram), David Hillman (Pentagram),
Kim Hiorthøy, Angus Hyland (Pentagram), FL@33, Agathe Jacquillat
+ Tomi Vollauschek, Vault 49, Alan Kitching (The Typography Workshop),
Christian Kusters (CHK), Love. Marcus McCallion, Michael Morrisoe,
Morag Myerscough (Studio Myerscough), Naked Design, Justus Oehler
(Pentagram), Ben Parker & Paul Austin (Made Thought), Michael
C Place (Build), Kev Rice & Dave Smith (Jeffery Charles Gallery),
David Quay (The Foundry), Professor Erik Spiekermann (United Designers
Network), Ed Templeton & Hamish Makgill (Red Design), Chris Turnbull
& Steve Johnson (Johnson Turnbull), Simon Waterfall (Poke), Andrew
Wilson, Winterbach Fehlschlag
Memorable speeches are those that elicit a response in the listener.
Whether they are political, cultural, serious or light-hearted, the
resonance of the words bears a relationship to the delivery of the
orator. It is the charisma, body language, tone of voice and personality
of a speaker – as well as the message itself - that makes a
speech momentous. It is exactly the same elements in visual form,
that make successful typography. The posters in this exhibition reflect
the creative and expressive powers of typography. It brings together
a comprehensive collection of designers and typographers that represent
the spectrum of contemporary typographic practice. For the uninitiated
the word typography might evoke dry, technical, laborious associations,
but this show proves what a richly expressive medium it is. Typography
is an essential part of graphic design. At its heart, graphic design
is the union of words and images, and the way those words are designed
is crucial to the communicative powers of design.
The posters in PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM have been created by some of
the world's leading graphic designers. Innovators of the pre digital
era such as Derek Birdsall and Alan Kitching; Pentagram partners Angus
Hyland, Fernando Gutiérrez and Justus Oehler who thrived in
the new technological age; and today‚s young innovators and
rule breakers like FL@33, Experimental Jetset and The Designers Republic,
have all contributed to this unique exhibition of typographical design.
Today, typefaces are busy doing the job of communicating messages
in almost every conceivable modern space ˆ with quiet ease on
the pages of novels, shouting thunderously from moving screens in
the world‚s capitals and communicating efficiently on road safety
signs. Typography has existed since humans first made marks on the
walls of caves to express themselves and has evolved as an art alongside
human history. Many typefaces have strong associations with particular
eras, products and services that most people aren‚t aware of
until they make the association for the first time(after which it
is impossible to stop noticing the way typefaces work). A famous example
is the London Underground typeface, designed by Edward Johnson in
1916. It provides such a successful visual backbone to the whole of
London Underground that it goes unnoticed in situ, but is instantly
recognisable out of context. The most immediate experience of typography
for most people today is the fonts they use to write documents on
their home computer. But typographically speaking this is a drop in
the ocean. Any place that words appear - books, magazines, packaging,
signposts, web sites, advertising hoardings, television screens –
are the concern of the typographer. Traditionally, posters and speeches
jostle together in the arena of public protest. Many of the speeches
that have been interpreted for this exhibition are of a political
nature and the posters inspired by the words of politicians and orators
bring together the audio and visual aspects of the protest march,
a familiar experience in recent times. Designer and critic Paul Rand
said "typography is an art. Good Typography is Art". This
exhibition celebrates the beauty of typography and the resonance it
has as a means of communication. It showcases the very best talent
from the international design community.
PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM is curated by Angharad Lewis (Grafik)
Henry Peacock Gallery
PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM
Poster Speeches by 40 Typographers
9 January–14 February 2004
Preview 8th January, 6.30–8.30PM
Harriet Warden
Henry Peacock Gallery
Henry Peacock Gallery
38a Foley Street
London W1
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