Besides the typographic culture of the printed book there exists a parallel culture of lettering in public spaces. Even though this second sphere pervades our daily life and hence our sensitivity with regards to letterforms, it found little representation in the literature on type history. And yet lettering in public spaces reveals many culture-specific differences in using letterforms, as can be demonstrated comparing France and Germany.
The presentation will address calligraphy, copperplate and typography, but the main focus will be placed on historic photographs from the streets of Paris and Berlin.
Fritz Grögel studied communication design and typography at the University of applied sciences of Potsdam, Germany. Exchange programs led him to École supérieure Estienne in Paris and to Escola superior de Desenho industrial in Rio de Janeiro. During his year abroad he discovered the art of letter painting and the culture-specific differences in lettering in public spaces.
In his graduation work “French Délice” (FH Potsdam, unpublished), he explored the history of French letter painting. “Hinterland”, his Type]Media master project at The Hague’s KABK addressed the German lettering tradition and ways to refresh it for the 21st century. In 2013 the book “Karbid, Berlin – From Lettering to Type Design” was published by Ypsilon Éditeur, Paris, to which he contributed two extensive essays.
Fritz Grögel lives in Berlin and works as a freelance designer in the fields of book design, corporate design and lettering. He currently teaches at HTW Berlin and at FH Bielefeld, Germany.
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Fritz Grögel