Four epistolary exchanges between
Thierry Chancogne and
Richard Niessen about the Palace of Typographic Masonry, a project initiated in 2014
by the Dutch graphic designer as an imaginary architecture devoted entirely to the variety, abundance, digressions and poetry of graphic expression.
The "About" section of the Palace of Typographic Masonry website reads as follows: "The Palace of Typographic Masonry was established as a foundation on May 15, 2018. The foundation pursues the following objectives:
1. Provide a physical and/or virtual environment for the creation of graphic design and a platform for the publication and presentation of associated work-graphic or otherwise;
2. Build a reference framework for graphic design;
3. Familiarize a diverse audience with a varied and relevant graphic design landscape;
4. Draw attention to graphic design as a unique discipline and profession;
5. Promote the recognition of individuals who have proven important to graphie design as a profession and/or the development of the field."
Over the course of four epistolary exchanges, Thierry Chancogne and Richard Niessen have a palatial discussion of
the content, issues, and the principles of classification of this palace of "the splendor and variety of graphic languages,"
a place dedicated to the promotion, dissemination, and support of an open and adventurous approach to our discipline
of graphism, graphic design, and typography.
"Dear Richard Niessen, how can I express my admiration for your work in general and for your project of the Palace of Typographic Masonry in particular? Perhaps by sharing my first impressions with you from when I discovered this place for animation, diffusion, and support for graphic art, graphic design, and typography. In this imaginary palace of 'the splendor and variety of graphic languages' that one can encounter on the internet, but also in publications, books, posters, meetings, art installations, and exhibitions, there is a dreamlike treasure trove of graphic objects from all places and all times: ritualistic symbols, game boards, alphabets, banknotes… And like Jorge Luis Borges' Library of Babel, I am sure that, since my last visit, the layout of the place and the makeup of its collections have changed again…"
Faire is a bi-monthly magazine dedicated to
graphic design, published from October to June, distributed issue by issue or in the form of anthologies of three or four issues. Created by
Empire,
Syndicat studio's publishing house,
Faire is aimed for undergraduate students as well as researchers and professionals, documenting contemporary and international practices of graphic design, along with the history and grammar of styles. Each issue focuses on a single subject, addressed by a renowned author.
"Critical publications dedicated to the analysis of Graphic design are sadly few and far between today, particularly in France, but also in Europe as a whole. Adopting an analytical and critical posture with regard to the forms and activities of Graphic design, Sacha Léopold and François Havegeer intend to establish a printed publication that deals with these practices. The publication will work with seven authors in its first year (Lise Brosseau, Manon Bruet,
Thierry Chancogne, Céline Chazalviel,
Jérôme Dupeyrat, Catherine Guiral and Étienne Hervy). This initially limited choice, linked to a desire to propose an experience with a group that has previously participated together in projects, will then allow for the inclusion of foreign authors in the second year of publication."
Richard Niessen (born 1972 in Edam-Volendam, The Netherlands) works on a body of work with a strong preference for print,
graphics and music, with an ever-expanding vocabulaire of (homemade) letters, sign systems and ornaments inviting the viewer to wander, guess and hopefully find. He shares a studio space with Esther de Vries since 2007.
Richard works for various clients including artists like Jennifer Tee and Ad de Jong, exhibition spaces as Tijdelijk Museum and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdamand organizations like the Fonds BKVB and Res Artis. In addition, the self-initiated projects (such as “Based on Bas Oudt” and his traveling overview exhibition “TM City”) lead to experiments with exhibition and presentation forms and collaborations with other designers and artists.
