Interesting book and exhibition is a textual and visual exploration of the future of typography

Typography is a bit like offal. There are those who love it, obsess over its finer points and see themselves at the vanguard of an evangelical mission to convince others of its qualities. But there are others who don’t get it, don’t really want to think about it but are happy to eat sausages when the occasion arises. Where was I? No idea, anyway the point is as with every facet of the so-called communication arts, the digital revolution has changed and is continuing to change everything.

Camberwell Press have produced an interesting book Whatever Next: A Discourse on Typography which grew out of a series of workshops held at various London locations. Not only does the book document a number of interviews and conversations with academics, students and practitioners it also includes essays, histories and some fascinating visual responses to the questions posed from artists and designers like Fraser Muggeridge and Sam Winston.

These went on show recently at the Kemistry Gallery curated by this is art where they acted as neat extrapolations of the weighty ideas expressed within the title. It might not be everybody’s cup of offal, but anyone whose craft revolves around typography might want to be aware of this useful contribution to an important debate. As Sergio Polano writes in the book’s foreword: “We aren’t perhaps fully aware of all the implications of this new age. Our mind is waiting, but never have letter designers had such powerful tools in their hands.”