Typophile

WHAT IS AUSTRALIAN TYPOGRAPHY?

DankRealms

Isn't it typography done by people working in Australia? Is there an 'essence' of what Australian typography is or should be? The question I have always wondered about and given a great deal of my thoughts to seems so fluid and ever changing... As we are a very young country and the majority of all of our typographic past comes from hand-me-downs from our English ancestry via food and product packaging and people who worked in industry throughout the world prior to Australia, one must see that Australian typography encompasses so much. It is a vast playing field of styles, merging of cultures and ever-changing ideology rather than the standard 'kangaroo and Cooper Black' mentality, even if that train-of-thought is still perfectly Australian and cool. But likewise a design with multicultural aspects is equally as Australian if made in Australia, right? Today, the world is a vast stage and everyone is linked to someone else, another place via this wonderful beast called the internet. So walls come down, no longer are we secluded into seeing over simplified Melbournian design with inklings to Swiss basel-school fundamentals. New designers and students continue to break this barrier down which keeps us not only modern but gives us a front on a world stage. I do not believe, and have not for years, AGDA does enough for up-and-comers. Students are still forced to pay large fees to see people who will not give them hope, people with little interest to them go for over-priced lunches at the expense of members, but where can a member find the community that should support them? After working at Black+White for many years and having all the help in the world from this 'Association' then finding it near impossible to even speak with them post Black+White, it seemed there only interest fell in talking to those who they see as 'popular' or beneficial to their own well-being as an association. Now, as art director for Kurv. Magazine it seems all of my support comes from US and European sources both in design circles and in the photographic world. The magazine itself even sells out in the US 100-1 by comparison to here. Support for an Australian Typographic club is needed. We need this fresh air that says, hey we are more than ready to move forward to the future, and, face the world...

Graham McArthur

I agree with you, Andrew. Australia does need an Australian Typographic club/ whatever you want to call it. It had one once, but that was squashed out by AGDA who have done nothing much except collect money. I was a member once in the early days of its formation, but failed to renew membership after the first year and have seen no reason, incentive or benefit to renew in the years since.

muzzer

Good on ya DANK mate!! nothing like making usall so bloody proud with a big long rambling rant a nd David Carrson design!! Maybe you could start somthing up?!?

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Chopper Reid says "Harden the **** up".

DankRealms

Rants are good, asides the spelling but, who gives? As long as the opinion is out there. I am not a copy editor, I work hard enough doing what I do. And because I grew up designing my own typefaces and within the whole 'deconstructionist' typography era, this controversial work still inspires me, and what's wrong with that? I am here to challenge the reader, not hand it out on a plate to be glanced over and forgotten. I work in the public eye and it is the public who appreciate my work, and I see many books still covering a vast variety of styles of typography, from legible to illegible. Type to me isn't just about communication. it's about reader involvement... It's about creating a stir. Being different yet true to yourself, like art. I personally don't want to have everything clear to my eyes, I want to hunt... Search for the story, become involved in it and all the detail around it. My writers agree. Many world-class photographers seem to agree. Thousands of students I have taught seem to agree, even go home to other countries and get work doing the cool stuff; mags, cds, entertainment work. So this work exists and seems to be remembered... And yes, something will start up, with the support of people who do want something new. If I can have my own work distributed throughout the world thanks to a great team of people who believe in what I believe in, even at a cost of hundreds of thousands of publisher's dollars, then why not a Type Club? Without the attitude that disintegrated typography is not communication, but mere folly. As it is ALL worthy of note. Variety is what life is about.

DankRealms

Inspired by menus and items from the Cunard Line of old...
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