The New Typography

Cooper Hewitt MuseuM

April 16tH 2011 - septeMber 15tH 2011

2 East 91st StreetNew York, NY 10128

A collection of design changing posters from the 1920’s-1930’s

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The arTisT In the 1920’s and 1930s, the so-called New Typography movement brought graphics and information design to the forefront of the artistic avant-garde in Central Europe. Rejecting traditional arrangement of type in symmetrical columns, modernist designers organized the printed page or poster as a blank field in which blocks of type and illustration (frequently photomontage) could be arranged in harmonious, strikingly asymmetrical compositions. Taking his lead from currents in Soviet Russia and at the Weimar Bauhaus, the designer Jan Tschichold codified the movement with accessible guidelines in his landmark book Die Neue Typographie (1928). Almost overnight, typographers and printers adapted this way of working for a huge range of printed matter, from business cards and brochures to magazines, books, and advertisements. This installation of posters and numerous small-scale works is drawn from Cooper Hewitt’s rich collection of Soviet Russian, German, Dutch, and Czechoslovakian graphics. They represent material from Tschichold’s own collection, which supported his teaching and publication from around 1927 to 1937.

tHe DeCADes of VisuAlizeD History

(1) Vilmos Huszar-1929: Creates a coherent illustrative work based solely around typographic and geometric forms while utilizes a whole range of disruptive techniques.(2) Herbert bayer-1925: Pure Geometric reduction of letter forms governs this type face, which rejects capitals as an unnecessary complication.(3) Jan tschichold-1933:Book Jacket made with using layering type with pictures.

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Tips oN Type tHe Do’s AnD Don’ts

The technique of modern typography must adapt itself to the speed of our times. We cannot spend as much time on certain aspect as we would have done in the past. The rules are fewer and simpler yet more flexible. The new rules must relate to tools at hand and must progress as new technology develops. Machines are now essential parts of the printing process and it is unrealistic to ignore it. Successful design is an end product in printing not the realization of concept. A work of typography must not be suitable for its purpose but also beautiful. Every element in a job has a new importance and relationship with everything else.

We are not allowed to abbreviate words and for that reason alone Gutenbergs Bible cannot be imitated today, even if we had his type. However other books from the same period can still be a useful inspiration.”

eric Gill-1928 For the first version of his sans serif type produced for the London and North Eastern Railway. The LINER adopted Gill Sans for all advertising, sinage applications and timetables.

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1920tHe reVolution of type

The rule of typography were created and developed during a period a written and visualized design. The 1920’s a period of change in path and type usage. “For typographers the activities of there years revealed the emerging significance of their crafts, its relationship in the flux of creativity between fine art and architecture.” A important historical movement was the Bauhaus. The work created in the Bauhaus was a synthesis of new ideas in art. The period was a decade of experimentation of expression for new typography and it can be seen with the usage of new types including Gill San and Futura. Certain styles which stood out during the time were rectangular grids, bold abstract forms and less decoration.

Typography must be clear communication in its most vivid form. Clarity must be stressed, for clarity is the essence of modern printing in contrast to ancient picture writing.”

(1) fortunato Depero-1927: The early explosiveness of Italian futurism transformed itself in the 1920’s. Layered and ordered type communicates the slick skill of the designer(2) Kurt schwitters and el lissitsky-1924: The type is ranged left and right justified and centered. The use of the red against the blue works to express the message but is also aesthetically pleasing.(3) el lissitzky-1922: Cover of the avant guard periodical Vyehch, Berlin. The Diagonals and usage of advance type were common themes during the 1920’s.

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1930tHe peeK of expression

The 1930’s a reach of new activity and expression. “The international communications and culture were not only a threat to political accountability if left uncontrolled, but also the opportunity for mass propaganda.” The advance of modernism was partly philosophy and also a style during the time. It was also a period of trying to revive traditional typography and style. Commerce comprise and emigration for the apostles of Modernism. During this times typefaces such as Beton, Peignot, Times New Roman were used. Features such as layering, type flushed against curves, contrasting type and photos, and lines to express new styles of layout design.

I though over again what a typographer should do. Which typefaces are good and what typefaces are the most practicable? Good typography has to be perfectly legible and, as such, the result of intelligent planning.”

(1) Herbet Matter-1935: Three versions of a poster for a Swiss tourist office. Growing international communications, commercial links and consumer travel led to pressures for international modes of typographic communication.(2) louis oppenheim-1929: Offered his talents across a range of styles a mark of the explosion in ideas and demand during the middle and late 1920’s when earlier styles and new ideas from the various art movements filtered into the commercial arena.(3) penguin book Covers-1935: Publishing house was to the fore in taking the cheap paperback format and using it for the more upmarket books. Gill Sans was used for the covers and Times New Roman for the text.

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Our primary device is montage…we do not neglect construction. Ours are eye-catching posters which, one might say, are designed to shock. We deal with the material in a free manner…disregarding actual proportions…turning figures upside-down; in short we employ everything that can make a busy passer stop in their tracks.”

Vladirmir and Georgii Stenberg are little known today. Their work fell into disfavor in the 1930’s when Joseph Stalin decreed socialist realism to be the official mode of artistic representation. Their greatest achievements were not in the fine arts but in the field of graphic design and mostly for the mass produced posters. The posters had a singular and timely purpose. Cheaply printed on poor quality paper the posters had a singular and timely purpose. That so many examples of the Stenbergs’ work survive in itself astonishing. While the Stenbergs achievements include designs for theatrical sets and costume, books, interiors, and buildings it is their film posters that comprise their greatest contribution to the arts of this century.

arTisT Close UptHe Mount-stenberG brotHers

(1) six Girls seeking shelter-1928: Created with using offset lithograph. Repetition and the use of black and white photography made simple photos more complex(2) battling orioles-1926: Created with offset lithograph. The use of having a center focal point made a huge impact with sending a message.(3) Moscow Chamber theater-1923: Display poster made using offset lithograph. The usage of collage and bright colors made these posters stand out.

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FoNT Close UpfuturA

Designed by Paul Renner, Futura quickly became highly popular, meeting the desire of the new typography for geometric faces; its appearance from a commercial foundry ensured its rapid spread. The ornaments that were made available show the idea of a perfect geometry being employed. The suggestion was that components in the face were the basic building elements of design. Futura’s success spawned a range of new geometric sans-serif typefaces from competing foundries, and remains one of the most used sans-serif types into the twenty-first century. Futura remains an important typeface family and is used on a daily basis for print and digital purposes as both a headline and body font.

Futura has an appearance of efficiency and forwardness. The typeface is derived from simple geometric forms (near-perfect circles, triangles and squares) and is based on strokes of near-even weight, which are low in contrast. This is most visible in the almost perfectly round stroke of the o, which is nonetheless slightly avoid.”

paul renner-1927: advertisement posters featuring Futrua which became a very popular font when created. This was a promotional piece which was used to get people to see the difference in this new font.

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The New TypographyCooper Hewitt MuseuM

workshops

speakers

Sunday, April 13, 2010, 11:30 a.m.Monday, April 26, 2010, 1:30 p.m.Saturday, May 23, 2010, 11:30 a.m.Friday, May 12, 2010, 11:30 a.m.Sunday, July 28, 2010, 1:30 p.m.Sunday, August 7, 2010, 11:30 a.m.Sunday, September 30, 2010, 11:30 a.m.

September 1st, 2011PopRally Presents: What’s Alt Is Neu

PopRally invites you to a very special conversation about typography in the twenty-first century. Taking exhibition The New Typography as a point of departure, Juliet Kinchin, Curator of Architecture and Design, Stephen Doyle of Doyle Partners, Chester Jenkins of Village, and Khoi Vinh of The New York Times discuss the once and future meanings of New Typography. Stephen Doyle and Doyle Partners continue to search for memorable ways to make ideas visible and language potent. Chester Jenkins is a type designer and co-founder of the Village type co-op. Khoi Vinh is the design director for NYTimes.com, and the author of the popular design blog Subtraction.com.

Guests will receive a set of limited-edition coasters designed by Chester Jenkins.

Museum Hours & locationMuseum Hours:Monday–Friday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.Sunday: 11 a.m. –6 p.m.Garden entrance on 90th Street open May–September (weather permitting)General Admission: $15.00Senior Citizens and Students with I.D.: $10.00

2 east 91st streetnew york, ny 10128

speakers