More Exhibitions...
January 08 - February 24, 2009
Typograffica
Art Exhibition
Works by Christopher Calderhead, Elinor Aishah Holland, Elaine Lustig Cohen, Alexander Norbom
at the Center
The decline of published print matter that has accompanied the advent of the Internet has not diminished the prominence of typography. The ubiquity of electronic forms of print means that more people than ever recognize the difference between Helvetica and Times New Roman. Computer programs that allow us to effortlessly manipulate the appearance of letters have enhanced our responsiveness to the myriad forms of the printed word. Typography was around before the printing press, as writers and calligraphers contemplated and refined the appearance of letterforms. And just as alternative music has blossomed at the fringes of the mainstream, so too have expressive font stylings sprung up from underground, urban cultures to populate city walls across the world.
The exhibition Typograffica, presented in conjunction with the roundtable Helvetica: Typography and Imagination, explores the evolution and expressive beauty of the letterform, from the practiced elegance of graphic design and calligraphy to colorful bursts of graffiti art. Elaine Lustig Cohen presents exquisite imaginings of the alphabet, while Elinor Aishah Holland explores the exotic lines of the Arabic language. Christopher Calderhead brings his classical lettering to the New Mexico desert, and Alexander Norbom chronicles the exuberant tags of Barcelona and New York City.
Alexander Norbom, Mistilt, New York City
Elinor Aishah Holland, Kufic
Elaine Lustig Cohen, Alphadefense
Christopher Calderhead, Arroyo (detail)
Elaine Lustig Cohen, ABC Glow (detail)