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8/17/2019 Dissertation - Environmental type installations
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1
Environmental type installations; can typography ever
be considered as art, and does this affect our way of
perceiving public lettering and commercial text?
An exploration into three dimensional typography in
urban environments and art galleries around the world.
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List of Illustrations …………………………………………………………Pg. 3-7
Acknowledgements ..………………………………………………………Pg. 8
Introduction …………………………………………………………………Pg. 9-11
Chapter 1: Archaic Type …………………………………………………..Pg. 12-21
-Historic Context .…………………………………………………..Pg. 12-14
-Modern application of historical methods ………………………Pg. 15-21
Chapter 2: Type in Art .……………………………………………………Pg. 22-32
-Flat installations……………………………………………………Pg. 22-27
-3D installations………………………………………………….…Pg. 28-32
Chapter 3: Type as More.…………………………………………………..Pg. 33-40
-Architectural ……………………………………………………….Pg. 33-35-Memorial……………………………………………………………Pg. 36-38
-Commercial ………………………………………………………..Pg. 39-40
Chapter 4: Digital Type …………………………………………………….Pg. 41- 45
-Digital installations ………………………………………………..Pg.41-44
-The future ………………………………………………………….Pg. 45
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………..Pg. 46-47
Appendices ………………………………………………………………….Pg. 48-54
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………Pg. 55-60
Progress Map ……………………………………………………………….Pg. 61- 73
2
CONTENTS
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Figure 1. Mosley James, (1963) The inscription in situ [Photograph: Black and whiteshot of Trajan’s column from below, with partial view of the inscription] Available:
http://www.codex99.com/typography/21.html (Accessed 22/06/15)
Figure 2. Yoder, Greg (2011) Park Avenue Shoe Store sign [Photograph: Restored
hand painted sign of a shoe store on Park Avenue, Lancaster] Available: http://
gregyoder.com/2011/12/old-hand-painted-signs-around-town/ (Accessed 07/10 /15)
Figure 3. Buncic Jasna, (2010) The National Gallery, Sainsbury Wing [Photograph:
outside the Sainsbury wing of the National Gallery, London, type has been carved
into the wall, design by Michael Harvey] Available : http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/
674577/the-national-gallery-sainsbury-wing/ (Accessed 22/06/15)
Figure 4. Davies, Rhianna (2015) The National Gallery staircase frieze [Photograph
inside the National Gallery, at the top of staircase with inscription starting at Raphael]
Figure 5. Kindersley, Richard (2009) Canning Town Underground, [Photograph: On
staircase facing concrete inscription wall, A Public Arts Commission designed and
created by Richard Kindersley] Available: http://www.kindersleystudio.co.uk/site/wp-
content/uploads/2009/10/canning-town-concrete-01-476x620.jpg (Accessed
06/07/15)
Figure 6. Why Not Associates (2001) The Cursing Stone, Carlisle [Photograph:
Inside Millennium Subway, facing The Cursing Stone, created by Gordon Young,
typography by Why Not Associates, implementation by Russel Coleman] Available:
http://www.whynotassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/
Cursing_Stone_01_MEDIUM.jpg (Accessed 29/08/15)
Figure 7. Paula Scher (2004) NJPAC environmental graphics program [Photograph:
side of the theatre, displaying painted typography surface designed by Paula Scher]
3
ILLUSTRATIONS
http://www.codex99.com/typography/21.htmlhttp://gregyoder.com/2011/12/old-hand-painted-signs-around-town/http://gregyoder.com/2011/12/old-hand-painted-signs-around-town/http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/674577/the-national-gallery-sainsbury-wing/http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/674577/the-national-gallery-sainsbury-wing/http://www.kindersleystudio.co.uk/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/canning-town-concrete-01-476x620.jpghttp://www.kindersleystudio.co.uk/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/canning-town-concrete-01-476x620.jpghttp://www.whynotassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/Cursing_Stone_01_MEDIUM.jpghttp://www.whynotassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/Cursing_Stone_01_MEDIUM.jpghttp://www.whynotassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/Cursing_Stone_01_MEDIUM.jpghttp://www.kindersleystudio.co.uk/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/canning-town-concrete-01-476x620.jpghttp://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/674577/the-national-gallery-sainsbury-wing/http://gregyoder.com/2011/12/old-hand-painted-signs-around-town/http://www.codex99.com/typography/21.html
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Available: http://www.walkerart.org/calendar/2004/paula-scher-pentagram-new-york
(Accessed 07/10/15)
Figure 8. Bread Collective (2012) The Walls Have Ears [Photograph: One of themural displays in Hackney Wick, reading: Mint Creams] Available: http://
www.breadcollective.co.uk/the-walls-have-ears-olympic-site-murals-hackney-wick/
(Accessed 07/10/15)
Figure 9. Boa Mistura (2012) Luz Nas Vielas (Light In The Alleyways) [Photograph:
Available: http://www.boamistura.com/luz_nas_vielas.html (Acessed 10/10/15)
Figure 10. Norbert Miguletz (2010) Circus © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
[Photograph: Circus installation covers the rotunda of the Schirn Kunsthalle in
Frankfurt, image captures side of wall and ceiling] Availbale: http://artobserved.com/
2011/01/go-see-%E2%80%93-frankfurt-barbara-kruger%E2%80%99s-
%E2%80%98circus%E2%80%99-at-schirn-kunsthalle-through-january-30-2011/
(Accessed 02/09/15)
Figure 11. Kruger, Barbara (2012) Belief + Doubt [Photograph: Inside the Hirshorn
Museum, Washington DC with Barbara Kruger’s Belief + Doubt installation]
Available: http://artobserved.com/2012/08/washington-dc-barbara-kruger-belief-
doubt-at-the-hirshorn-museum-through-august-27-2015/ (Accessed 10/10/15)
Figure 12. Kruger, Barbara (2010) Whitney Museum of American Art, Whitney On
Site [Photograph: Image from adjacent building looking down on installation, 2010]
Available: http://whitney.org/WhitneyOnSite/Kruger (Accessed 10/10/15)
Figure 13. Museum of Contemporary Art Krakow (1997-2004) Between [Photograph:
Original installation in Foksal Gallery, 1977 by Stanislow Drozdz] Available: https://
en.mocak.pl/in-between (Accessed 19/09/15)
4
http://www.walkerart.org/calendar/2004/paula-scher-pentagram-new-yorkhttp://www.breadcollective.co.uk/the-walls-have-ears-olympic-site-murals-hackney-wick/http://www.breadcollective.co.uk/the-walls-have-ears-olympic-site-murals-hackney-wick/http://www.boamistura.com/luz_nas_vielas.htmlhttp://artobserved.com/2011/01/go-see-%E2%80%93-frankfurt-barbara-kruger%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98circus%E2%80%99-at-schirn-kunsthalle-through-january-30-2011/http://artobserved.com/2011/01/go-see-%E2%80%93-frankfurt-barbara-kruger%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98circus%E2%80%99-at-schirn-kunsthalle-through-january-30-2011/http://artobserved.com/2011/01/go-see-%E2%80%93-frankfurt-barbara-kruger%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98circus%E2%80%99-at-schirn-kunsthalle-through-january-30-2011/http://artobserved.com/2012/08/washington-dc-barbara-kruger-belief-doubt-at-the-hirshorn-museum-through-august-27-2015/http://artobserved.com/2012/08/washington-dc-barbara-kruger-belief-doubt-at-the-hirshorn-museum-through-august-27-2015/http://whitney.org/WhitneyOnSite/Krugerhttps://en.mocak.pl/in-betweenhttps://en.mocak.pl/in-betweenhttps://en.mocak.pl/in-betweenhttp://whitney.org/WhitneyOnSite/Krugerhttp://artobserved.com/2012/08/washington-dc-barbara-kruger-belief-doubt-at-the-hirshorn-museum-through-august-27-2015/http://artobserved.com/2011/01/go-see-%E2%80%93-frankfurt-barbara-kruger%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98circus%E2%80%99-at-schirn-kunsthalle-through-january-30-2011/http://www.boamistura.com/luz_nas_vielas.htmlhttp://www.breadcollective.co.uk/the-walls-have-ears-olympic-site-murals-hackney-wick/http://www.walkerart.org/calendar/2004/paula-scher-pentagram-new-york
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Figure 14. J Mayer H, (2011) Rapport [Photograph: View of entrance hall installation
by J Mayer H for the Berlinischen Galerie] Available: http://www.jmayerh.de/97-0-
Rapport.html (Accessed 10/10/15)
Figure 15. Yoko Ono,(2014) Earth Peace [Photograph: Street view of billboard
installation in Folkestone] Available: http://www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk/artist/yoko-
ono/ (Accessed 30/09/15)
Figure 16. Totya Hu (2006) LOVE [Photograph: LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana,
on the corner of 6th Avenue and 55th Street in Manhattan, NY] Available: https://
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPG (Accessed 30/09/15)
Figure 17. Kimpton, Laura (2012) Ego [Photograph of alight EGO at Burning Man
2012, Black Rock Desert, Nevada] Available: https://ignitechannel.com/stories/artist-
interview-with-sculptor-laura-kimpton/ (Accessed 11/10/15)
Figure 18. Studio Vollaerszwart (2009) Evergreen [Photograph: Seat letters covered
with articial grass at the Thij College in Oldenzaal, NL] Available: http://
www.vollaerszwart.com/88203/735664/projects/evergreen (Accessed 15 /10/15)
Figure 19. Brossa, Joan (2008) Walkable visual poem in three phases [Photograph:
in the foreground is the 3rd phase: “3. Destruction”, 1984, sculpture by Joan Brossa
next to the Horta Velodrome and Labyrinth in Barcelona, Catalonia] Available: https://
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Poema_visual_(destrucci%C3%B3)_-
_Joan_Brossa_-_Barcelona.jpg Accessed (08/10/15)
Figure 20. Love-Spain, Jaume Plensa (2012) Nomad [Photograph: Nomad in the
Yorkshire Sculpture park, England, in 2007] Available: http://40.media.tumblr.com/
tumblr_llrinlMIIJ1qkx931o1_500.jpg (Accessed 15/10/15)
Figure 21. R & R Studios (1996) M [Photograph: Architectural letter ‘M’ sculpture
outside Riverwalk Station, Miami] Available: http://www.rr-studios.com/ (Accessed
28/10/15)
5
http://www.jmayerh.de/97-0-Rapport.htmlhttp://www.jmayerh.de/97-0-Rapport.htmlhttp://www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk/artist/yoko-ono/http://www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk/artist/yoko-ono/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPGhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPGhttps://ignitechannel.com/stories/artist-interview-with-sculptor-laura-kimpton/https://ignitechannel.com/stories/artist-interview-with-sculptor-laura-kimpton/http://www.vollaerszwart.com/88203/735664/projects/evergreenhttp://www.vollaerszwart.com/88203/735664/projects/evergreenhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Poema_visual_(destrucci%C3%B3)_-_Joan_Brossa_-_Barcelona.jpghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Poema_visual_(destrucci%C3%B3)_-_Joan_Brossa_-_Barcelona.jpghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Poema_visual_(destrucci%C3%B3)_-_Joan_Brossa_-_Barcelona.jpghttp://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llrinlMIIJ1qkx931o1_500.jpghttp://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llrinlMIIJ1qkx931o1_500.jpghttp://www.rr-studios.com/http://www.rr-studios.com/http://40.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llrinlMIIJ1qkx931o1_500.jpghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Poema_visual_(destrucci%C3%B3)_-_Joan_Brossa_-_Barcelona.jpghttp://www.vollaerszwart.com/88203/735664/projects/evergreenhttps://ignitechannel.com/stories/artist-interview-with-sculptor-laura-kimpton/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LOVE_sculpture_NY.JPGhttp://www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk/artist/yoko-ono/http://www.jmayerh.de/97-0-Rapport.html
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Figure 22. Gollings, John, (2001) The Marion Cultural Centre [Photograph: Street
view and side views of the cultural centre, at daytime and night, South Australia]
Available: http://openbuildings.com/buildings/the-marion-cultural-centre-prole-3154# (Accessed 15/10/15)
Figure 23. The New England Holocaust Memorial (no date) [Photograph: Views of
the etched glass memorial walls, and two tower structures from below, Boston, US]
Available: http://www.nehm.org/photo-gallery/ (Accessed 21/10/15)
Figure 24. Martin, Manuela (2014) Monumento Victimas 11-M, Madrid [Photograph:
View from inside the monument, looking up through the dome to read the text]
Available: http://www.designcurial.com/news/typography-in-architecture-4285057/
(Accessed 21/10/15)
Figure 25. Serviceplan (2010) BMW LightWall, Hamburg Airport [Photograph:
Billboard reection in situ, at view from afar and perspective view] Available: http://
www.serviceplan.com/en/case-details/bmw-lightwall-1618.html (Accessed 21/10/15 )
Figure 26. MacPherson, Angus (2007) Campbells soup: Hunger installation
[Photograph: ‘Help hunger disappear’ in a grocery store in Canada, images of full
display and after user interaction] Available: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/
campbells_soup_hunger_installation (Accessed 21/10/15)
Figure 27. Popp, Julius, (2002) bit.fall , [Photograph: Network based digital
installation using water droplets to form the word ‘processing’] Available: http://
www.goethe.de/ins/ee/prj/gtw/aus/wer/pop/enindex.htm (Accessed 14/11/15)
Figure 28. Sanborn, Jim (2004) A Comma, A, [Photograph: Copper installation at
night with projected words shining on plaza in front of library, and on adjacent
building, University of Houston, TX] Available: http://jimsanborn.net/hires/First.jpg
(Accessed 14/11/15)
6
http://openbuildings.com/buildings/the-marion-cultural-centre-profile-3154#http://www.nehm.org/photo-gallery/http://www.designcurial.com/news/typography-in-architecture-4285057/http://www.serviceplan.com/en/case-details/bmw-lightwall-1618.htmlhttp://www.serviceplan.com/en/case-details/bmw-lightwall-1618.htmlhttp://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/campbells_soup_hunger_installationhttp://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/campbells_soup_hunger_installationhttp://www.goethe.de/ins/ee/prj/gtw/aus/wer/pop/enindex.htmhttp://www.goethe.de/ins/ee/prj/gtw/aus/wer/pop/enindex.htmhttp://jimsanborn.net/hires/First.jpghttp://jimsanborn.net/hires/First.jpghttp://www.goethe.de/ins/ee/prj/gtw/aus/wer/pop/enindex.htmhttp://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/campbells_soup_hunger_installationhttp://www.serviceplan.com/en/case-details/bmw-lightwall-1618.htmlhttp://www.designcurial.com/news/typography-in-architecture-4285057/http://www.nehm.org/photo-gallery/http://openbuildings.com/buildings/the-marion-cultural-centre-profile-3154#
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Figure 29. Rooij, Gert-Jan van (2013) LUST: Type/Dynamics [Photograph:
Installation view with visitor. Information opens up when visitors are near to the wall,
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam] Available: http://lust.nl/#projects-5525 (Accessed
14/11/15)
7
http://lust.nl/#projects-5525http://lust.nl/#projects-5525
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I would like to start by thanking all of the ‘Theory and Context’ team atRavensbourne, as their support throughout this process has been invaluable. In
particular, Sally Waterman and Eti Wade for being there whenever I had questions in
the early planning stages, and later in the production of the writing.
My primary research has been crucial for this project as I was tackling a very
subjective question. I would like to thank Elaine Tribley, Johanna Drucker, Daniel
McGhee and Luke James for taking the time to answer my questions; they were allhelpful and insightful responses.
I would also like to thank the team at Pentagram for hosting the Paula Scher talk in
April, and for generally being supportive of my inquiries into this line of study.
Lastly, a big thank you goes to all my friends and family who supported me
throughout.
8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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Lettering is everywhere. From the rst minutes of life, when a label stating our
name is clipped around a tiny wrist, to our nal resting place, a headstone ormemorial book, it is lettering that quite literally scores the alpha and omega of
our lives (Haslam, 2011, p.6)
This dissertation examines the innovative use of typography in three dimensional
spaces. To clarify; the installations inhabit a dynamic space where people live and
life ows, as opposed to printed typography, where letters lie on the static space of a
page (Saccani, 2013, p.19). The focus throughout is primarily on contemporarypractise, as the number and range of typographic installations has grown
exponentially in the past three or four decades (Heller and Ilic, 2013, p.10).
A major gure in the study of this discipline, Jock Kinnier writes:
If public lettering was just a larger size of type there would be little to interest
us. Yet, quite apart from the question of the extra dimension, there are
obviously a host of different relationships to be explored. Buildings andpeople, rather than pages, are the frame of reference, and sometimes even
the sky and open elds. (Kinnier, 1980, p.72).
The lead question tackles difcult concepts, as dening art is extremely subjective.
“The denition of what is art changes from generation to generation” (Heller and Ilic,
2013, p.10). The oxford dictionary denition is ambiguous and open to interpretation:
“[Mass noun] The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be
appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power” (Oxford Dictionaries,
website, no date).
What complicates this study is the signicant lack of research; very few have
addressed typography that was not part of a sign or commercial message, and little
is published about the role typography plays in public spaces intended for interaction
(AbiFares, 2010, p.8). Nevertheless I will highlight factors that can lead to
9
INTRODUCTION
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typographic installations being seen as art, or argue for them not being considered
art. Additionally, I aim to evaluate how our perception of these typographic
installations as art can alter the way we view everyday public lettering and
commercial messages.
The dissertation is split into four chapters: Archaic Type, Type in Art, Type as More
and Digital Type, and within these are smaller sections of text that categorise
examples. These examine a wide range of global sources, as my lead question has
an explorative aim.
Chapter 1 briey outlines two relevant pivotal points in history for environmental
typography; Roman inscriptions and 16th century sign painting. Following on from
this, I look at the revivals of these archaic typographic methods in contemporary
settings, and how their historic roots can have an impact on meaning/audience
reaction.
Chapter 2 focuses on environmental typography in art, split into two-dimensional
examples (lettering on at surfaces), and three-dimensional examples (sculptural,
often free standing); artists such as Barbara Kruger, Stanislaw Drozdz and Robert
Indiana are referenced. This chapter also explores the different way artists use
language, and the resulting impact on their work. Examples include single word
installations, isolated letters, whole phrases and even numbers.
Chapter 3 regards the concept of type being used as something more than
language, but not being overtly recognised as ‘works of art’. The main categories of
lettering in this are architectural, memorial and commercial, each addressing
different purposes in various public spaces.
Chapter 4 examines digital installations, and how their format inuences our regard
of them in comparison to the aforementioned physical lettering. I also explore into
the future of this practise and the possibility of digital technologies replacing
traditional methods.
The examples used throughout this dissertation are only a select few from the
hundreds to choose from, and many others could have t into the writing
appropriately. The chosen examples are most suited to the ideas expressed in the
text, a way of visually explaining each concept. Most of the examples have a focus
10
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on the integration of text and language in the urban environment to enhance spaces
or engage the public, either in the rejuvenation of delinquent spaces or the creation
of spectacular landmarks (AbiFares, 2010, p.14).
11
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In order to fully understand what the term ‘environmental typography’ means today,
and why it has increased so dramatically in contemporary environments, we rst
need to outline the historical context of the practise.It has been argued that typography for signage and lettering in the environment only
began at the dawn of the rst century A.D, when the Roman Empire addressed the
issue of communicating on a mass scale. Lettering
began to be used to mark political and historical
events, indicate road names and street numbers,
which was believed to help rationalise cities while
promoting language skills. (Berger, website, 2014)These Roman examples of lettering are referred to
as ‘monumental inscriptions’; they were intended
for permanent display and were therefore usually
executed in lasting material such as stone or metal
(Puhvel, website, 1974). It is also thought that the
Romans inscribed in stone for a gloried effect on
its viewers; a way to demonstrate the massivepower of the Roman state (Young, website, 1987).
“The Romans were the rst people to devise
monumental inscriptions as we know them,
Western civilisation can never repay that debt” (Bartram,1975, quoted in: Heller,
2013, p.11).
One of the most revered examples of an inscription using Roman capitals is at the
base of a war monument in Rome; Trajan’s column, C. E. 117, [see Fig. 1] (GraphicDesign History, website, 2012). Many people consider this work to represent the
resolution of the latin letterform, with several type designers using it as a prototype
for derivative designs, such as Edward Johnston, Eric Gill and Carol Twombly
(Graphic Design History, website, 2012).
The owering of signage during the Roman era was short-lived, however, and
the collapse of the empire reverted typography back to its key use in religious
documents. It was not until the 15th century that typographical innovation
12
Fig. 1. The inscription in situ , (1963)
ARCHAIC TYPE - Historic contextAPTER 1
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resumed with the development of the printing press and moveable type.
Advances in metalworking and woodcarving led to the rise of commercial
signage, with a mix of pictograms and simple messages. (Berger, website,
2014)
“Painted lettering on shop facias did not develop until the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries”. (Haslam, 2011, p.30) Up until this point, where literacy levels were rising,
pictograms were used as a broader communication method. (Haslam, 2011, p.30)
Sign painting was essentially a form of advertising, and in the nineteenth century,
with consumerism and trade becoming ever more important, commercial displays
were in much higher demand. (Gregory, website, 2013) It even came to a point
where the intense need to promote wares, along with the ease of posting words
anywhere; led to buildings that were
besieged by ads [Fig .2] and therefore
strict laws were passed to limit or
localise postings. (Heller and Ili # 2013,
pg. 74)
It is thought that the most widespread
and immediate method for writing on a
building is by painting, as the great
virtue of painted letters lies in their
legibility. (Saccani, 2013, p.19)
A painted word always has a better chance of being legible from an acute
angle than most constructed or modelled characters. Nineteenth century sign
painters got the best of both worlds by giving their letters pretend returns and
shadows, so that they were enriched without a loss of legibility - Peter St John
(Saccani, 2013, p.19)
However, “As the need for mass production grew, the use of hand techniques such
as painting and carving gave way to industrial processes such as casting.” (Baines
and Dixon, 2003, p.98)
13
Fig. 2. Park Avenue Shoe Store sign (2011)
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The development of technologies over the centuries has made construction and
production of tangible letters possible; contemporary production methods allow us to
generate type of any size, on virtually any substrate (Heller and Ili # 2013, p.10)
(Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.7). The number of typographic shrines, monuments andsculptures designed for function and folly has grown exponentially in the past three
or four decades; large letters designed to be experienced are appearing in the most
surprising places, on, in and around buildings, along roadways, littered throughout
landscapes, and afxed to anything that will hold them. (Heller and Ili # 2013 p. 10)
Arguably, the advances in technology cannot be the sole reason for the rise in
environmental lettering in recent years. The expansion of graphic design beyond the
connes of the page has also made an important contribution; this was undoubtedly
the result of artistic experimentation in the post-war period, using language as a
visual material, and most importantly, translating concepts into typography. (Saccani,
2013, p.9) “Graphic designers trained in two dimensional work are trying their hands
at three-dimensional expression”. (Hunt et al, 1994, p.9) The rise could also be due
to the practice’s multidisciplinary nature, and the amount of varied creatives
engaging in the topic today, including the work of letterers, sign-writers, graphic
designers, artists, architects and engineers. (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.7)
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Perhaps the greatest difference between this kind of lettering, and the typographic
installations this dissertation focuses upon, is the attention they demand from their
audience.
In contrast to this, Robert Kindersley’s installation
at Canning Town underground station, London, is
of a much more playful, experimental nature [Fig.
5]. The inscriptions ponder the history of the area,
once a shipyard; carved into concrete, a difcult
material to work with as it’s texture gives
unpredictable results compared to traditional
materials, such as stone. (Saccani, 2013, p.172)
“The text forms waves and curls, coiling around
itself or creating diagonal lines, evoking the
movement of the waters ploughed by the
legendary HMS Warrior (the rst warship with an
iron hull)” (Saccani, 2013, p. 172). The application
of inscription, unlike Harvey’s frieze, contradicts
any historic references by using unconventional
curved typography, and straying away from the
typical roman styling of type. In addition, Kindersley probably wasn’t aiming for a
hand-crafted aesthetic, reminiscent of the stone carving of the Romans, but instead
his work is suggestive of the modern production methods that allow for further
freedom of typographic layout.
The installation was commissioned by Britain’s Public Arts Commission; so the
purpose for the work is fundamentally different to Harvey’s inscriptions. Kindersley
also designed this work for a very different audience; commuters passing by every
day. (Saccani, 2013, p 172)
The decorative element will obscure the message, which is about local
history, and with this intentional obscuring, the message will not immediately
yield up the words, but over many visits to the station people will slowly
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Fig. 5. Canning Town
Underground (2009)
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decipher the writing. In this way interest in the piece will be prolonged,
hopefully for many visits. (Kindersley, 2011, quoted in: Saccani, 2013, p. 324)
It could be argued that this difference in meaning and effectiveness ofcommunication is what makes an environmental typographic installation like this art,
and not simply public lettering. This work is an example of: “Strange juxtapositions of
new and old being an integral part of the contemporary landscape” (Baines and
Dixon, 2003, p.9)
Another urban example that can
demonstrate unconventional
inscription is from Why Not
Associates, a London based
design studio who often
collaborate with the artist
Gordon Young for environmental
work. ‘The Cursing Stone’ and
‘Reiver Pavement’ [Fig. 6]
courted negative reactions, and
gave rise to something of a furore (Saccani, 2013, p.17)
The installation was created in 2001, situated in the Millennium subway, its aim to
create a cultural connection between Tullie House Museum and Carlisle Castle
(Saccani, 2013, Pg. 282). “In 1525 the Archbishop of Glasgow put a curse upon the
Border Reivers, in an attempt by the Church to stop violence by the robbers and
sheep rustlers who terrorised the borderlands between England and
Scotland.” (Heller and Ili # 2013, p. 177)
Even before completion, the stone was called ‘a shrine for devil worship’ by local
churchmen, and blamed for local disasters (Heller and Ili # 2013, pg. 177). “Attempts
were even made to have it destroyed but, despite protests, the stone remains in its
original position.” (Saccani, 2013, pg.17) As Why Not Associates have pointed out,
this incident underlines the strong impact a typographical installation can have on a
community: ‘We think the project proves that you can only create really powerful
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Fig. 6 The Cursing Stone (2001)
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It was common practise in Victorian times to paint the sides of theatres with
information about the performances and plays. You can see the faded
lettering to this day on the sides of theatres in Covent Garden in London. -
Paula Scher (Sacccani, 2013, p.329)
In a recent talk at Pentagram, Scher explained her divergence into environmental
graphics; “3D space exploration was something I had never done before, it was
about doing something that wasn't expected of me, so yet another way of rebelling
against conformism” (Scher, Presentation talk, 2015). In this example, Scher has
rebelled against most conventional signage systems, creating a very memorable
piece that undoubtably stands out in contrast to surrounding typographic messages.
It is evident that old hand painted signs have deep nostalgic appeal, which explains
the work of British design studio Bread Collective (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p. 75). Their
typographic mural, ‘The walls have ears’ (2012), was intended to help clean up an
unloved street in Hackney Wick, based on the history of the industrial area, using
vintage vernacular style lettering [Fig. 8] (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.99). “We like
everything we do to have a hand crafted feel, giving the work a more human and
tactile quality” (Kirkup, website, 2014).
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Fig.8. The Walls HaveEars (2012)
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This work is another example of typography being used for expressive purposes
rather than functional waynding or traditional labelling. “Arts ability to engage and
strengthen a sense of coherence within a community has become evident to
many” (AbiFares, 2010, p. 10).Audience reactions have been positive, with comments being made about “passing
through the area in the 1970s and smelling all the smells from the industries, both
pleasant and unpleasant, or about their parents or grandparents that worked in the
factories” (Bread Collective, website, 2012). The typography here works directly with
the environment, the words become a tangible physical entity in the landscape,
contributing to its personality and unique identity (Saccani, 2013, p.11).
This kind of lettering can challenge our perception on the purpose of public text, as it
does not advertise a product, or give the audience instruction; but instead
decoratively ponders the historic context of the environment in a visually engaging
manner, much like Robert Kindersley’s inscription, and Why Not Associates’ cursing
stone.
Lastly, looking at modern appropriation of painted letters in environments, an
example can be found in the work of Boa Mistura. The multidisciplinary art collective
is based in Madrid, a group of ve artists who focus on grafti art as a means of
community building (Hufngton Post, website, 2012). Boa Mistura have been
referred to as ‘Anti-Banksy’, as their method is out in the open, creating artwork with
direct support from local communities who will benet and feel well represented by
the work produced (Bramucci, website, 2015).
The collective has several projects that are relevant to this discussion, but I was
drawn to their 2012 'Light In The Alleyways' [see Fig. 9] in Brazil due to their
combination of traditional painting methods, and contemporary anamorphic
manipulation. This means attening the perspective from a single point
(anamorphosis), so that the letters become distorted if viewed from any other angle
(Bramucci, website, 2015). “The concept was to create new environments within the
maze of narrow and winding streets that connects the alleys through bright chromatic
interventions and typographic illusions.” (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.75). Several
different words are used in this series, beauty, strength, love, tenderness and pride;
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“For us, these words were qualities we’d seen reected daily by the families we’d
come to know in Vila Brasilândia” (Bramucci, website, 2015).
This work is similar to Bread Collective’s vision with ‘The walls have ears’; we cansee that environmental typography is being used to uplift run-down communities,
essentially using art as a tool for change (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.75).
This can indicate a perspective shift for type in our urban environments, as
messages are being
used to positively
reinforce a sense of
community, and not
just label, instruct or
advertise.
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Fig.9. Luz Nas Vielas (Light In The Alleyways) (2012)
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This chapter examines 2D work created by artists, and further on, 3D sculptural type,
in both gallery and urban environments. Notably the examples in this chapter are all
considered art, either ‘installation art’ in gallery settings, or ‘public art’ outdoors.
A clarication that rang true about the concept of type being considered art, was by
Steven Heller, a renowned art director, critic and graphic design author; “A typeface
is not art, but typefaces are used to create art. Artists are treating typography as a
medium for expression, like oil paint and watercolour, pencil and pastel, marble and
clay.” (Heller and Ili # , 2013, pg.178) Also agreeing with this line of thought about how
type is considered art, Daniel McGhee from Why Not Associates mentioned that“Lots of artists use typography in their art – so does this mean that typography can
be considered another medium like paint, or granite? Yes, I think so.” (McGhee,
email, 2015) Type can be part of art and its graphical and visual properties can be
used as part of the material codes of a work. (Drucker, email, 2015)
Text is nothing new to art - Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Kurt Schwitters, Hannah
Hoch, Marcel Duchamp, and many other early twentieth-century artistsincluded disjointed fragments of printed pages in their works. Sixties Pop Art
appropriated commercial brands and logotypes, while Fluxus and other
conceptual art movements blurred the boundaries between art and text (Heller
and Ili ! , 2013, pg. 178)
Barbara Kruger is considered one of the artists who cast typography in a leading role
rather than a side player in art. (Heller and Ili#
, 2013, pg. 178) Having worked as agraphic designer, art director,
picture editor, and artist, she
has a rm understanding of
typography’s place in her art.
(www.pbs.org ) “Much of her
text questions the viewer about
feminism, classicism,
consumerism, and individual
22Fig. 10. Belief + Doubt (2012)
TYPE IN ART - Flat installationsAPTER 2
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autonomy and desire, although her black-and-white images are culled from the
mainstream magazines that sell the very ideas she is disputing.” ( www.pbs.org )
Kruger’s work is intimidating in its disregard for the conventions of art as a framed
canvas on a wall; she has managed to pave the way for typographic artworks toourish in virtually every environment. (Heller and Ili # , 2013, Pg. 178)
The question arises over what differentiates Kruger’s practise to that of designers, as
at least on a supercial level she is utilising typography, space and image to promote
a set of ideals, much like a designer would. Kruger explains why she doesn't see
herself as a designer in an Interview in 2013;
BOLLEN: But you've been such an inuential artist on design. You're almost a
designer's artist of sorts. You've revolutionised graphic design.
KRUGER: I think that designers have an incredibly broad creative repertoire.
They solve. They create images of perfection for any number of clients. I
could never do that. I'm my client. That's the difference between an artist and
a designer; it's a client relationship. And so, to me, it's not a hierarchical order;
it's not like artists are better than designers, but it is a particular
instrumentality, which makes for a difference. (Bollen, website, 2013)
We can see from Figures 10, 11
and 12, that Kruger’s art often
only uses typography; with the
message being the point of
artistic focus. For example, in
her installations ‘Belief + Doubt’
in Washington, ‘Whitney on Site’
in New York and ‘Circus’ in
Germany. “Visitors will walk upon
her words, be surrounded by
walls of her words, ride on
escalators covered with her words” (Rosenbaum, website, 2012).
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Fig. 11. Circus (2010)
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Perhaps the intention of Barbara Kruger’s type installations (aside from their clear
messages about society), is to get people to engage with public lettering more.
In an increasingly digital world, virtual words are becoming weightless, the more
words wash over us, the less we understand them, Barbara Kruger rematerialiseswords, so that we can read them closely, deeply (Rosenbaum, website, 2012).
Although Kruger has produced many successful public artworks, she distances
herself from this denition:
I should say that I feel uncomfortable with the term public art, because I’m not
sure what it means. If it means what I think it does, then I don't do it. I’m not
crazy about categories. I’m an artist who works with pictures and words.
Sometimes that stuff ends up in different kinds of sites and contexts which
determine what it means and looks like. (Kruger, 1997, quoted in: Saccani,
2013, p. 254)
From this we can see that
Kruger believes her work with
type is just a material, like her
imagery or colour use. It also
shows us that the placement
of her artworks, whether in a
gallery or on the street should
not redene the work as
something else, like public
lettering; Kruger strongly
believes her work is still art
wherever it’s placed. These views are interesting, as it
shows that the artist is more concerned with the meaning that her words incite in
relation to each environment, rather than the typographic arrangement being viewed
as particularly artistic. Kruger's installations are an example of Daniel McGhee’s
explanation; Lots of artists use language and the spoken word in their art, so
typography can be considered the physical embodiment of this (McGhee, email,
2015).
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Fig. 12. Whitney On Site (2010)
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In a completely different example that does rely on typographic arrangement over
meaning; Stanislaw Drozdz’s 1977 installation in Poland [see Fig. 13] shows how
letters can be introduced as a metaphor for something else, in this case a y itting
around and landing in different places. Drozdz saw letters dislocated in space yetuniform in composition. (Heller and Ili # , 2013, Pg. 204) This kind of artwork is called
‘Concrete poetry’, pioneered by Drozdz himself, it emerged as an artistic genre in
1953; concrete poets create poems in the shape of visual compositions formed with
arrangements of letters and typographic signs that do not follow any semantic or
syntactic relations (Monod-Gayraud, website, 2014). “The increased interest from the
art world in the possibilities of words in art continues the traditions of concrete poetry
which have ourished since the 1960’s” (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.101).
A more contemporary example of this concrete poetry can be seen from designer J
Mayer H, who created an installation for the Berlinischen Galerie’s ten-meter high
entrance area in 2012 [see Fig 14] (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.192). Data security
patterns are printed on the oor and walls, creating a ickering effect that transforms
the space into a playful scenario with interconnected forms and structures. (H Mayer,
website, 2011).
25
Fig. 13. Between (1977)
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We can see from studying these
two concrete poetry examples in
contrast to Kruger’s lettering that
words with one meaning, singleletters without, and even phrases
with a whole host of meanings
can all be perceived as art if the
artist visually engages the
audience in an innovative manner
that differentiates the typography from everyday commercial and public lettering.
“Can a typeface, or even a single character from a typeface be considered art? I
think here you start getting in to the territory of ‘where is the line between what is art
and what is design?’ – [There is] no straightforward answer to this” (McGhee, email,
2015)
A different viewpoint on this matter, and in argument with Heller and McGhee, was
by Elaine Tribley. She is a local artist specialising in environmental installations and
signage, and had interesting thoughts in response to this question: To what extent do
you believe type (on its own) can be viewed as a piece of artwork? Her response
was:
Fully, the impact of just one word can be enormous, the important thing is how
the artwork is executed, take for example Yoko Ono's recent installation at the
Folkstone Triennial last year, just two words black on white 'Earth Peace' but
printed on a huge billboard poster on a site amongst the back roads of the
town. So easy to walk past the message becomes almost subliminal lodging
into your subconscious, it works because it's both very much like an
advertisement but also very much not - there's nothing to buy here but there's
everything to lose, that's an artwork. (Tribley, email, 2015)
However, even though works like this are essentially art, and theoretically any letter
or word can be used as an artistic tool, some audiences may not be able to see past
the simple reading or presentation. “Since type and lettering are quotidian and linked
26
Fig. 14. Rapport (2011 )
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to commerce, it is often difcult to understand the artistic merits of artworks that are
entirely driven or composed of type and typography” (Heller and Ili # , 2013 pg. 178)
It may seem obvious in an art gallery when an installation is supposed to inspire and
provide thought provoking concepts, but Yoko Ono’s example [Fig 15] demonstratesthe opposite of that. “I'm very much interested in the idea that you can use text and
known visual mediums to pass on a message which won't reach everyone that sees
it, many people will walk past and not recognise what they're seeing is not quite right
- as will they when they walk past the Yoko Ono piece.” (Tribley, email, 2015)
27
Fig. 15. Earth Peace (2014)
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It comes into question whether the particular methods involved with type installations
can aid the general recognition of a piece of art. For example sculptural typographic
installations inhabit a more dynamic space, where people live and life ows(Saccani, 2013, p.19). “Many outdoor typographic experiences revolve around
perceptual dislocation derived from planting large letters, words or statements in
unlikely environments” (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.14).
“The leading paragon of typographic
sculptural monumentality is and always
will be Robert Indiana’s 1964‘LOVE’ [Fig .16] (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.
179) The composition consists of four
letters making up the word in a square
eld, with the ‘o’ tilted at a 45 degree
angle (Saccani, 2013, p.152). There is a
debate over the classication of this work
being art, and its interpretation ofmeaning demonstrates how sometimes
linguistic words being used as art can
confuse; “Full of erotic, religious,
autobiographical, and political
underpinnings—especially when it was co-opted as an emblem of 1960s idealism—
LOVE is both accessible and complex in meaning” (Wye, 2004, website) However,
some feel the ambiguity of meaning led to an unsuccessful artwork, “LOVE was fullof deep personal meaning, but Indiana's intentions were lost on both fans and
critics.” (Wilde, online article, 2010) ‘Love’ became so popular as an affectionate
logo, that parodies and false copies soon ooded the market, and what was
assumed to be a huge nancial success for Indiana was instead a drain on his
artistic career; “Many art collectors and critics dismissed him as a sell-out, and some
major museums stopped collecting his work altogether.” (Wilde, online article, 2010)
28
Fig. 16. LOVE (2006)
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Most will be familiar with this work, but few the artist behind it; Indiana’s ‘Love’ is
probably the most popular, misunderstood, typographic sculpture in the world.
Taking this approach atconverting a single word into a
typographic sculpture, other
artists have adopted this
technique but added a further
depth that ‘Love’ was missing. For
example, Laura Kimpton’s ‘Ego’ in
Nevada, where the sculpture was
set on re for an annual
celebration. [Fig. 17] (Heller and
Ili# , 2013, p. 191) The installation
was sculpted out of wood and framed with plaster cast pans,
trophies, and religious relics to represent ego, which would then be
burnt down to see what remains; “The thinking was that not all of the artefacts would
burn, and there would be tokens to take home from the playa when the embers
cooled” (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p. 191). This well considered artistic intention
combined with thought provoking showmanship is possibly what makes the
environmental typography in this case, into a piece of ne art.
A contrasting single word sculptural installation, encouraging interaction rather than
consideration of meaning, is Studio Vollaerszwart’s ‘Evergreen’ [see Fig. 18]. The
‘public art’ piece was commissioned by Thij College in Oldenzaal (NL) to be an
engaging space for secondary school children to relax and socialise in (Studio
Vollaerswart, website, 2009). Oversized letters, spelling out the name of the project,
form a 20-metre circle covered in articial grass, and provide an outdoor seating
area solution for students (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p. 61). This unusual manner of
engaging with physical letters is refreshing and can remind us that letters in our
environment can be playful and not just an onslaught of mixed messages. Simply
put, works like this can ‘visually enrich our experience of letterforms and the
environment’ (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p. 103).
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Fig. 17. Ego (2012)
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Remaining with the theme of sculptural works, but comparing examples that don’t
pragmatically spell out a word or phrase (similar to the aforementioned concrete
poetry examples), Joan Brossa’s rst urban visual poem [Fig. 19] is completely
different to the examples I have looked at so far.
The walk-though Transitable Visual Poem consists of a path divided into three
parts, marking the stages of life; birth, life with all its events and pauses, and
death. — It is impossible to see the three stages of the poem all at the same
time; they can only be discovered by visiting them one by one. (Saccani,
2013, p. 64)
‘Birth’ is a sans serif 12m high letterA, ‘The road: pauses and
intonations’ are represented by
punctuation marks lying at random
intervals throughout the sloped
park, and ‘Finale’ is the broken
remains of another letter A. (Baines
and Dixon, 2003, p. 157). Part ofthe success of this piece is the
30
Fig. 18. Evergreen (2009)
Fig. 19. Walkable visual poem in threephases (2008)
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interaction and discovery of meaning; it demands the viewers participation as you
have to walk through it to understand it fully (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p. 157). Due
to the location of this work, it’s not seen by the masses of tourists who ock to the
Catalan capital, but the peacefulness of the place enhances its strong poetic impact,which in turn make it incredibly memorable (Saccani, 2013, p. 64).
An alternative approach at
making a typographic
sculpture be recognised as art
is to distort the use of letters to
form another shape other than
a word. For example, Jaume
Plensa’s ‘Nomad’; a 27-foot
hollow human form, made up
of a latticework of steel letters
[Fig. 20] (Heller and Ili # , 2013,
p.223). His similar public
works are frequently displayed
in urban environments as
Plensa nds public spaces
interesting locations for art; he
mentions in an interview that
“In public spaces a kind of
direct relationship between
people, who have not sought it,
and the artists comes to life” (Sansone, online article, 2010).
This kind of environmental typography ts the description of Phil Baines’ ‘lettering to
enliven’; “The lettering does not have to full a utilitarian role but can simply exist as
art and contribute to the quality of a space” (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.101).
Plensa suggests that language, spoken or written, goes beyond providing a
simple mission of communication, but can also be assimilated into a sort of
envelope, which covers the matter and energy that forms our being, he says;
31
Fig. 20. Nomad (2012)
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“Such bricks, letters have the potential to construct, they enable us to
construct a thought” (DeMoney, website, 2007).
This concept of language going beyond its pragmatic purpose is very poetic, and itshows in his work that Plensa can really express himself through his unique
manipulation of type. “My parents were people surrounded by books, always
reading, so I really grew up with the image of text, and I use it a lot in my
work.” (Jaume Plensa Interview, video, 2011) It could be argued that because this
kind of work contains no lexical meaning, and only incorporates single letterforms; its
more easily accepted as art because its not using such an everyday tool in the
expected way.
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This chapter looks into examples that aren't strictly classied as art, but also serve
another purpose other than to visually communicate a message. This section
focuses on three dimensional installations, how type is used on/in buildings and
sculptures for more than a simple communicative purpose.
R & R Studios created such an example in 1996, simply called ‘M’; a concrete
structure that stands on its own, but also serves as the entrance to the Riverwalk
Station, Miami [see Fig. 21] (Saccani, 2013, p.234). “The aim of the project is to
come to grips with the concept of art in public spaces from the point of view of
architecture, seen as the most public of art forms” (Saccani, 2013, p.234). This
installation was designed to create a new symbol for the station, and more generally,the whole city of Miami, so it’s understandable why the designers chose to work in
such a large format;
When three-dimensional typography is rendered large, its architectonic impact
is even more impressive— and physically much more enduring— than
temporary scrims, banners or posters afxed to similar platforms (Heller and
Ili ! , 2013, p.128).
33
Fig. 21. M (1996)
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In this piece in particular, it is easy to identify parallels between architects work, and
ne artists, as both manipulate scale, colour, material and placement to enliven an
environment in a particular way. Possibly the only difference would be that R&R were
working to meet a client brief.
Architectural typography is rarely anything other than physical attachments of type to
a structure, but there are innovative examples arising where the buildings are
constructed almost entirely out of letterforms and words. The Marion Cultural Centre,
South Australia [Fig 22] is such an example, completed by the architect group Ashton
Raggatt McDougall in collaboration with Phillips Pilkington Architects (PP + ARM).
Drawing inspiration from nineteenth-century architectural lettering, where words were
displayed on the main facade to give importance to public buildings, the word
‘Marion’ is integrated into the architecture and surrounding environment (Saccani,
2013, p.36). This example is interesting because the shapes of M , A and R are fully
integrated within the architecture of the building, a fragment of the letter A for
example, cuts through the entire construction, determining the internal spaces of the
centre (Saccani, 2013, p.36). Phil Baines believes this inuence of type on
architecture is a negative development; “Type has come to dominate. And where
strong architectural traditions once fed typeforms, the inuence is now the other way
around - to the detriment of the practise”, but in this example it’s hard to be negative
about its unconventional typographic labelling, which has led to a much loved
community area and landmark. (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.100)
34
Fig. 22. The Marion Cultural Centre(2001)
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Letters and words are something that both visually challenged and visually
savvy clients can understand. And this is at least one reason for architectural
typography’s growing popularity in some surprising venues — (Heller and Ili ! ,
2013, p.129)
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Memorials are a form of environmental typography, but as well as communicating the
fact behind a series of deaths, they also promote emotional and reective
engagement, much like a work of art could.
In these memorial records of war and atrocity the great power in the simple
expression of an individual name is perhaps felt only by those who have lost
loved ones, but the power of the expression of names or numbers en masse
is intense and further testimony to the resonance words can have in our
environment. (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.102)
Similar lettering that was once used to declare a victor in war, is now being used in a
less partial spirit, mourning the equal loss of hundreds of thousands of individuals
(Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.102).
An example of this kind of lettering, is the
Holocaust Memorial in Boston, 1999 [Fig. 23].
The project was initiated by a group of
Holocaust survivors living in Boston, sponsored by over 3,000 individuals and
companies, and designed by architect Stanley Saitowitz (The New England
Holocaust Memorial, website, no date). The memorial records the identication
numbers of inmates etched into glass walls (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.170).
36
Fig. 23. The New England Holocaust Memorial(No date)
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The Memorial is designed around six luminous glass towers, each reaching
54 feet high, and each lit internally from top to bottom. The number six has
many meanings here: the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust; the names
of the six main death camps; a row of memorial candles; and the six years,1939-1945 (The New England Holocaust Memorial, website, no date).
The memorial not only communicates the factual information about the historic
event, but the site offers a unique opportunity for reection on the meaning of
oppression – and freedom – and on the importance of a society’s respect for human
rights (The New England Holocaust Memorial, website, no date). What is moving
about this piece, is not the physical execution, but the simple act of recording, in this
case by numbers not names, of the millions of lives taken:— “It serves to remind us
again of the resonance that text alone can achieve” (Baines and Dixon, 2003, p.170)
Another memorial that utilises the quantity of lives lost is The Monument to the
Victims, by Studio SIC and Buj + Colon, 2007 [see Fig. 24]. The monument
commemorates the 191 victims of the terrorist bombings of March 11, 2004 in Madrid
(Saccani, 2013, p. 110). The 36 ft glass cylinder has thousands of messages of
condolence made in the days after the attacks inscribed on the inside of the tower
37
Fig. 24. Monumento Victimas (2014)
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(BBC News, 2007, online article). “Located in front of the Atocha railway station, the
scene of one of the attacks, the monument was presented with the motto ‘Light
dedicates a moment of the day to every missing person’. (Saccani, 2013, p.110).
Visitors can read these messages from a space below the dome, and also thenames of the victims on the entrance wall (Saccani, 2013, p.110-111).
This memorial was not simply a way to honour the dead; the design of the sculpture
was “the expression and the sense of Spanish society after the attacks”, — Gil-
Fournier, as well as an attempt to convey the “immateriality” of those feelings and
“make them eternal” (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.104). In many ways, examples like this
are works of ‘public art’, even though it was not the intent; as Steven Heller phrases
it ‘art is a consequence, not a goal’ (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.129).
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Another interesting area on this concept of type being used as more than a
message, is in the many examples of commercial lettering. Understandably,
commercial lettering was bound to mimic this essence of ne art eventually, as theirmessage must ‘read against and in contrast to the product signs with which it
competes for attention’ (Drucker, 2001, p.). But do these explorations into the subtle
methods of advertising cloud our appreciation of typographic installations?
One such example is BMW’s 2010 Light wall ‘Reection’ in Hamburg Airport [Fig.
25]. The project, by Serviceplan, was to develop an idea for the BMW M3 Coupé
billboard; their concept was all about ‘exceeding limits’, and their billboard designexceeded the physical limits in the space provided (D&AD, website, 2011). The
reection of the billboard on the oor doubled their media space, and doubled the
attention for free (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.121). This shows how manipulating
typography for different environments, while using surprising techniques, can
generate a lot more attention for advertising campaigns. Although examples like this
may be visually engaging and clever, it still has a commercial message inside, urging
us to buy from a company; the visual rhetoric of advertising has a much greatereffect than the subtler means of persuasion available within the rhetorics of ne arts
(Drucker, 1998).
39Fig. 25. BMW LightWall (2010)
TYPE AS MORE - CommercialAPTER 3
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Perhaps a more subtle example of advertising within an environmental typographic
work is Campbell’s ‘Help Hunger Disappear’, 2008; created to raise awareness of
food banks, the display was interactive in that participants literally made the sign
disappear by removing cans of soup [see Fig. 26] (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p.53). “The
Campbell’s team spelled out the word ‘hunger’ with 12,000 cans of tomato soup,
then participants were invited to give the tins to the needy, via a nearby Canadian
Association of Food Banks truck” (Maddever, website, 2008). This installation has a
noble concept, however it is clearly a form of advertising as ‘consumers were also
given vouchers which call for Campbell to donate a can of soup to food banks in
return for each purchase of a Campbell’s product’, this is manipulating the audiences
drive to ‘do good’ whilst spending money in store (Maddever, website, 2008)
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Fig. 26. Campbells soup: Hunger installation (2007)
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Following on from this investigation into the various production methods and effects
of physical typography, it seemed necessary to broadly mention the parallel practise
of digital installations. I only touch on this topic as the nature of the area is toodiverse to ever be adequately represented; however the brief exploration highlights
important relationships between digital and physical type.
The rise in digital type design has made it easier for anyone with access to the
creative tools necessary to work with fonts; “Digital type design has opened up a
specialist craft to anyone who wants to give it a go.” (Dennis, 2012, article) This
means that producing large installations comprised of type, has become easier thanever before. Paula Scher mentioned; “Computers are an amazing tool for
environmental graphics, as it lets you visualise space accurately” (Scher,
Presentation talk, 2015).
Examples so far have been chosen for their three dimensionality, and physical
presence in an environment. Digital installations in some cases
are just as tangible as physical lettering, for example JuliusPopp’s ‘Bit.Fall’ [Fig
27]. The artist
invented a device
that controls falling
streams of water to
create temporary
words and images;programmed to scan
the internet and pull
out popular phrases
(Heller and Ili # ,
2013, p. 187). The
words are not
permanent, but
nevertheless have a
41
Fig. 27. bit.fall (2002)
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physical quality that is only made more fascinating due to the process; “The viewer is
able to experience digital processes sensually, as an analog sculptural
installation.” ( www.goethe.de )
Jim Sanborn is another artist that uses digital technologies alongside typography.‘A Comma A’, was commissioned for the M.D. Anderson Library, University of
Houston, Texas in 2004 [Fig. 28] (Heller and Ili # , 2013, p. 224).
The lettering in this work arguably has a more physical nature than that of Popp’s
processed words, but uses technology to create a more impactful ambience at night;
Made mostly of copper and bronze, the sculpture is comprised of snippets of
poems, novels and prose from languages from all over the world. At night, a
built-in projector will shine light through the sculpture, reecting the text onto
the library’s exterior walls. (Vasquez, 2004, online article).
This demonstrates how digital installations can manipulate the audiences’
perception; as the viewer has to read letters in their environment that aren’t
physically there, but have every appearance of being. “ The light-emitted words are
thrown every which way, attaching themselves to the ground and buildings like an
infestation of abecedary insects” (Heller and Ilic, 2013, p.180)
42
Fig. 28. A Comma, A, (2004)
http://www.goethe.de/http://www.goethe.de/
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Until the 20th century, virtually all processes of creating lettering were static - the
calligrapher’s pen, the letter-cutter’s chisel and the printer’s impression all left an
indelible mark on vellum, stone or paper. (Haslam, 2011, p.224) “The invention of
lm, the cinematic camera and television liberated lettering, enabling it to moveacross the screen.” (Haslam, 2011, p.224)
LUST studio in the Netherlands has an excellent example of this kind of digital
installation, although used in a gallery environment rather than an outdoor space.
Part of the exhibition Type/Dynamics in Amsterdam, the installation represents thecontinuous stream of information readily accessible to us, with oor to ceiling data
morphing into words, letters and sentences that transform into larger typographical
formations as time goes on [see Fig. 29]. (Fulleylove, online article, 2015) This use
of digital technologies creates a sense of movement that is gaining popularity in the
design industry; “Time-based typography is no longer a novelty with a limited
application in lm title sequences, it has matured into a discipline.” (Woolman, 2005,
p.6)
43
Fig. 29. Type/Dynamics (2013)
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The three digital examples above should be considered works of art due to their
consideration of form, material and process, in conjunction with overall meaning and
symbolism from their chosen typography.
Throughout history, technology has provided artists with new tools for
expression. Today, these two seemingly distinct disciplines are interlinked
more than ever, with technology being a fundamental force in the
development and evolution of art. (Gever, online article, 2012)
However, digital production also means typographic installations can be created
quickly, and by anyone with an inclination to, “A huge concern is that, as a result of
so many new tools and techniques, we may lose our sense and ability to evaluate
what is great art”. (Gever, online article, 2012)
To which one could argue, did we ever have an ability to evaluate great art?
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In researching each physical installation example, it was hard not to question the
future of it all; will screens and digital technology replace physical lettering?
From the professionals spoken to about this, there were mixed opinions on whether
or not the future would solely become digital signage.
Johanna Drucker, (art critic and scholar), seemed in favour of the opinion that digital
signs were the future, although saddened by this belief:
Sadly, I do think we are going the way of digital signs. I hate the light from them
and nd them unaesthetic and soulless. The pure pleasure of making letterforms
made me think about how dreadful the digital signs are. (Drucker, email, 2015)
On the other hand, Daniel McGhee and Luke James (both specialised creatives in
this area), seemed open to the idea that physical typography has a place beside
digital displays; that the two have the capability to co-exist in our future:
I disagree that the future will be only digital – it has to be both. As long as
buildings and public spaces are made of stone, brick, steel, wood, etc, then Ithink public lettering will also exist in the physical world, using these same
materials. (McGhee, email, 2015)
I believe there is the scope for the two to co-exist. Digital screens are exible and
have the potential to convey numerous messages where as physical signage is
suited to more permanent opportunities. In all aspects of art and design the
question is often posed about new technologies and whether they will push outmore traditional approaches - this rarely happens and the two often nd their own
space within their particular eld. (James, email, 2015)
It would be comforting to think that physical work is a necessity; “Even with advances
in delivery and display technology, we are still humans with the same sensory inputs:
sight, sound, touch, smell, taste.” (Woolman, 2005, p.7) The constant supply of
digital text in our lives requires us to adapt to new conditions, although the basic
principle of how we read still remains the same. (Woolman, 2005, p.7)
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While the questionable future of this practise may be hard to conclusively predict,
many other conclusions can be drawn from my exploration.
One of the main observations from studying this topic was the clarication of the
difference between lettering and type; as I had been unconsciously categorising
them as the same thing. Baines and Dixon offered an intriguing explanation that
stayed with me throughout the working of this dissertation;
Type is an industrial product capable of duplication and automation, while
lettering is a one-off, created for a specic purpose and capable ofresponding to the demands of scale, material and surroundings in quite a
different way. —Baines and Dixon (quoted in Saccani, 2013, p.23)
This can explain the wide differences between projects; each installation is utterly
unique because they are all responding to completely different environments and
purposes, with producers varying in creative backgrounds.
The answer to my lead question is yes and no.
Environmental typography can be considered as artwork for many reasons. For
example, it could be due to the use of language (Barbara Kruger), it could be due to
a placement in a gallery (Drozdz), the reactions from audiences (Why Not Associates
and Bread Collective), the physical journey (Joan Brossa), the popularity (Robert
Indiana), the scale or physicality (R&R, Juan Plensa) or even just the way the creator
has made it different to other messages in our environment.
On the other hand, my exploration also shows how some typographic installations
are hard to view as artwork, even though they may share similarities to ne art
installations. I have found that method alone cannot create an artwork; Michael
Harvey’s inscriptions are beautiful, but the content only labels a physical space. I
have learnt that too much emotional meaning can often keep a work from being seen
as art; for example The New England Holocaust Memorial. In addition, it seems that
physical scale on its own and impressive displays of type struggle to be categorised
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Appendix 1:
Tribley, Elaine (2015) Public environmental artist, email to Rhianna Davies, 17th July
1.) I recently walked past your Witham bridge project, and was curious at the method
of how you created the letter indents; how did you create this piece, and do you often
experiment with permanent materials like this?
The lettering is created by shot blasting the concrete, it's a fairly dangerous process
where micro plastic balls are red through a nozzle/gun so needs an experienced
person in full protective gear. For this job Lazenby in Yeovil undertook the blasting on
site and the parapets were then transporting to site and installed by the constructioncompany.
The majority of my work is within public art so materials need to be permanent, this
particular bridge has a life of over 100 years.
2.) How do you go about choosing a typeface for your installations?
I try where possible to include the choice within the history and context of the work.
The Witham text and typeface background is as follows:Horace Walpole the 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), was an
English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and politician. He is now largely
remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, and for coining
the word ‘Serendipity’. In 1749 he wrote ‘what pleases me most in my travels was Dr.
Sayer’s parsonage at Witham ... one of the most charming villas in England. ‘There
are sweet meadows falling down a hill, and rising again on t’other side of the prettiest
winding stream you ever saw.’ To further echo the words of Walpole the text owswith them and the suggested river, and is set in a typeface of the same era, Caslon.
The typeface Caslon was designed by English gunsmith and typeface designer,
William Caslon I (1692–1766) in 1722. It is cited as the rst original typeface of
English origin. The Caslon types were distributed throughout the British Empire,
including British North America. Caslon’s types were immediately successful and
used in many historic documents, including the US Declaration of Independence.
After William Caslon I’s death, the use of his types diminished, but saw a revival
between 1840–80 as a part of the British Arts & Crafts Movement. The Caslon
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APPENDICES
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design is still widely used today. For many years a common rule of thumb of printers
and typesetters was “when in doubt, use Caslon,” particularly if no typeface was
specied. Several revivals of Caslon do not include a bold weight. This is because it
was unusual practice to use bold weights in typesetting during the 18th century, andCaslon never designed one.
3.) You have studied as a ne artist, yet use typography in your work much like a
graphic designer would; why and how do you manage this?
I have always had an interest in graphic design and studied the subject before ne
art, although not at degree level. I've been through periods of trying to be a little
more organic (messy) within my work but always return back to a more graphic
approach, I would say my art practice very much operates on the line between ne
art and graphic design.
Typography naturally falls into this. I struggled with medium when rst studying ne
art and found myself returning to the 'safety' of text when producing work, this has
continued throughout my career with some major exhibiting work and public artwork
being text based.
4.) To what extent do you believe type (on its own) can be viewed as a piece of
artwork?
Fully, the impact of just one word can be enormous, the important thing is how the
artwork is executed, take for example Yoko Ono's recent installation at the Folkstone
Triennial last year, just two words black on white 'Earth Peace' but printed on a huge
billboard poster on a site amongst the back roads of the town. So easy to walk past
the message becomes almost subliminal lodging into your subconscious, it works
because it's both very much like an advertisement but also very much not - there's
nothing to buy here but there's everything to lose, that's an artwork.
5.) In your opinion, what differentiates an innovative public lettering sign from a ne
art installation that uses type?
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See above! when utilising text for an artwork the consideration always still remains
with the context not the sale or the direction, but it can be fun to play around with
these ideas. Enchanted Wood is a piece of work I created for an exhibition back in
2008 where the brown tourist sign was used with the words 'enchanted wood' butthey directed people through the gardens of the exhibition grounds to the busy A
road which dissected the land and an area about to be developed where the woods
once stood, instead of the wood you come to a dead end with a large yellow road
sign saying 'enchanted wood closed' and no entry sign and trafc cones. $ All of these
signs were ones we see everyday but there was now a context to the message. I'm
very much interested in the idea that you can use text and known visual mediums to
pass on a message which won't reach everyone that sees it, many people will walk
past and not recognise what they're seeing is not quite right - as will they when they
walk past the Yoko Ono piece.
Appendix 2:
Drucker, Johanna (2015) Author/ art critic, email to Rhianna Davies, 1st October
Have you ever read my piece, "Signs of Life, Spaces of Art"? It might be helpful to
you. I do not have a copy on my computer, so can't send it. Also "Language in the
Landscape"?
1. In your opinion, do you believe that type on its own can be considered as art?
Can you explain why you think this?
I'm not sure type by itself can carry enough conceptual weight to be art. For
something to move from craft to art it needs to be able to bear within it some ideas,
expression, imagination, or critical reection. Type can be part of a work and its
graphical and visual properties can be used as part of the material codes of a work,
but simply by itself? I'm not sure. Usually when a work is typographic and a work of
art at the same time, the words it is expressing are an integral part of its meaning
and message.
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2. Some individuals I have spoken to believe the future of environmental typography
and public lettering is going to be digital. (Screens instead of physical sings). To what
extent do you agree?
Sadly, I do think we are going the way of digital signs. I hate the light from them and
nd them unaesthetic and soulless. But that is just me. I was sitting and painting an
illuminated letter yesterday as a gift for someone and thinking about what a pleasure
it was and how perhaps in some future phase of my life I will just sit and paint in that
way and give the letters to whoever wants them. Not now, of course, too busy, but
the pure pleasure of making letterforms made me think about how dreadful the digital
signs are.
Appendix 3:
Scher, Paula (2015) Graphic Artist, Presentation talk at Pentagram with Rhianna
Davies present, 15th April (I transcribed a few select phrases from Scher’s talk)
“3D space exploration was something I had never done before, It was about doing
something that wasn't expected of me.”
“Environmental graphics was a relatively new area in the 90’s, before that everybody
was still creating at 2D graphics and sticking it on the wall”
“was yet another way of rebelling against conformism”
“It started by being commissioned to design the outdoor posters for a theatre, and
then being hired by 3 theatres at once because they thought I was a theatre
designer. That gave me the opportunity to explore more architectural work, and the
scale of my typography applied to a building.”
“Computers are an amazing tool for environmental graphics, as it lets you visualise
space accurately”
“My early environmental work was about making something physical, as my stuff at
Pentagram was increasingly more digital. So I thought, I wonder what happens when
I put my paintings in a 3-dimensional space and get people looking at them that way”
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“space exploration and environmental graphics is now just another form I use to
express myself, much of the content is still the same, but presenting it in a different
way”
“drawn to the scale of environmental graphics because it was exciting, a differentway of working”
“architects have the skills available to produce environmental graphics thats often
better than what you can do, because they’re better at visualising space than
designers”
Appendix 4:
McGhee, Daniel (2015) Designer at Why Not Associates, email to Rhianna Davies,
13th October
1. In your opinion, do you believe that type on its own can be considered as art?
- Can you explain why you think this?
Short answer… yes, I think it can.
But I suppose your question is open to interpretation. $What does ‘type on its own’
mean? $
More questions/thoughts come to mind...
• Lots of artists use typography in their art – so does this mean that typography can
be considered another medium like paint, or granite? Yes, I think so.
• Lots of artists use language and the spoken word in their art – so could typography
be considered the physical embidiment of this? Again – yes, I think so.
• Can a typeface, or even a single character from a typeface be considered art? I
think here you start getting in to the territory of ‘where is the line between what is art
and what is design?’ – no straightforward answer to this. $Although one of the
examples Jake and I showed you the other day – the project by Emil Kozole $http://
emilkozole.com/Project-Seen $ – is, I think, a typeface which ticks the box of also
being ‘art’.
2. Some individuals I have spoken to believe the future of environmental typography
52
http://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seenhttp://emilkozole.com/Project-Seen
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and public lettering is going to be digital. (Screens instead of physical sings). To what
extent do you agree?
Short answer…i disagree that the future will be only digital – it has to be both.To expand a bit:
As long as buildings and public spaces are made of stone, brick, steel, wood, etc,
then I think public lettering will also exist in the physical world… using these same
materials.
A physical installation of typography (or an