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 graphic 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…"
210 x 297 mm
56 pages
2025
English, French
9791095991465