Background Layer #9
In this issue: find us at Typographics, the team meets in NYC, ethics in the time of capitalism, and some recent finds
This is Background Layer number 9, written by Ben Kiel. Behind the scenes musings and random links from running a small independent type foundry.
The Most Important Thing in this Email: If you are in NYC for Typographics this week (or just milling around Cooper Union Friday and Saturday), be sure to say hello to Jesse and Zrinka. You might even score an “Aesthetic Trash” sticker, made as an in-house joke. Jesse’s Export (seen below in a May Day poster) is one of the typefaces used in the identity this year, and we love how Nick and the crew have used it.
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Speaking of NYC, most of the team met the second week of this month, graciously hosted in the office of Three Furies, to work in person. This was the first time that Tyler Dean was able to join in person, and it was a treat for all to meet and work on things without needing Zoom and Slack. (This is what I am told; I wasn’t able to make it.)
One thing that we all worked on was final feedback/edits to the Plumbago specimen for Typographics (check your bag, or email me to get one in the mail). Kevin from Work/Play designed this one for us, and he knocked it out of the park. Printed by my former student, Sarah Wang, over at Secret Riso Club.
A big thanks to Amanda Nevile and her team for their great hospitality. I hope we’ll find a project to collaborate on soon.
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On another note, it is impossible to ignore all of the turmoil happening around the world. From a tornado ripping through the most neglected neighborhoods of Saint Louis and a lack of government assistance, increasing ICE raids (including two blocks from Jesse’s home in Beacon, NY), war with Iran, and an unrelenting genocide in Gaza.
Beyond the questions of how one continues to show up to work with all this (and more) going on, one of the struggles of running a business is how to show up in these moments as a company. We long ago decided that we do not want to conflate marketing/commerce with social issues, as mixing the two feels predatory to us. And even here we are not perfect, we did have a matching funds fundraiser for the community group Action STL, which did the most for those affected by May’s tornado.
We have come to the conclusion that we make ethical choices as a company and use the freedom we have from running a small business to give our time and talents to causes we believe in.
We want to encourage you to do the same. Look around your community and find a group that could use a hand.
Recent finds
Robin Sloan (with a great use of DJR’s Job Clarendon) has a great take on owning your platform (and by implication your work). My takeaway from this is to lean into us being us.
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A two-part podcast series by Hanif Abdurraqib on the album, The Score, by the Fugees. Side A and Side B. It is so good, you’ll enjoy both sides of that metaphorical cassette.
I often think of Lauren Hill’s verse on Zealots:
And even after all my logic and my theory
I add a “motherfucker” so you ignant ****** hear me
Sometimes that feels like the wisdom/cry of frustration of the day (and on a smaller level, I feel that when making anything for IG).
I am sure there is an essay to be written screaming at everyone who loved 80s/90s/00s hiphop but never internalized and acted on the message. What a better place we may be in if we as a society had.
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Until next time,
Ben