Final_Helveticanism_page

Does it in anyway
signal a general
disinterest in the
finer details and
art of typography?
Or does it signify
something else
entirely?

49

To suggest that the way we
use Helvetica is an easy way
out typographically is ridiculous.
We spend an enormous amount
of time spacing, kerning, lining
and positioning type. The fact
that we use only a small variety
of typefaces demands a certain
discipline, a skillful precision,
a focus on the finer details.
It’s certainly not that a-differ-
ent-typeface-for-every-occasion
attitude. Now, that would be an
easy way out.

When a composer writes a
piece for a limited amount of
musicians, would that be an
easy way out? When a direc-
tor writes a play for a limited
amount of actors, would that be
an easy way out? Of course not.
Likewise, designing with a limit-

50

ed amount of typefaces is defi-
nitely not an easy way out. To
suggest that would be a travesty.

51

Empatia
2015
“Helvetica”
Part of a series of silkscreened helvetica posters by
Empatia. The series showcases the minimalism
often characterising designs that use
helvetica.

52



54

Empatia
2015
“Helvetica”
Another piece from the silkcreened
helvetica series once again, minimalistic.

55

Any final words?

56

Rudy, you probably think we’re
completely out of our minds, as
we realize all of the above might
sound pretty bizarre. But as
long as our complicated ideas
translate into practical and func-
tional designs, we’re happy.

[ Experimental Jetset, February 2003 ]
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Afterword 1

58

Two years after this interview
was published, we were ap-
proached by Kai Bernau to par-
ticipate in his Neutral project
(2005). In the e-mail conversa-
tion we had with Kai, we revisit-
ed the Emigre interview:

59

“We still believe what we said in
of the words could have been bett
wrote that the neutrality of Helvetica
a social convention.
To us, a myth is the same thing as a
sense we’re saying now the same t
we do agree the word ‘myth’ is a bit

60

n that interview, but maybe some
ter chosen. For example, when we
a is a ‘myth’, we meant it’s first of all
a constructed, social fact, so in that
thing as we said two years ago, but
t more confusing”.

61

A few weeks after this e-mail conve
neutrality further in a short interview
in German graphic design magazine

“As we already explained, we think
tion, as a ‘silent agreement’.

So to us, a ‘neutral typeface’ is not
neutral, but a typeface that a certai
moment, choose to perceive as neu
that does possess certain expressiv
ber of cultural reasons, we (as socie
glect) these characteristics when w

“In our view, the fact that something
doesn’t possess certain expressive
that, because of several cultural rea
choose to neglect this characterist

62

ersation, we explained our views on
w (related to Kai's Neutral project)
e Page:

of neutrality more as a conven-

a typeface that is intrinsically
in group of people, at a certain
utral. So in short, it is a typeface
ve characteristics, but for a num-
ety) choose to ‘filter out’ (to ne-
we perceive the typeface”. (...)

g is neutral doesn’t mean that it
e characteristics; it simply means
asons, we (as society)
tics.

63

Take for example the ‘white cube’ mod

the idea that art can be best experienc
this model, the colour white is seen as
of course nonsense: the colour white h
and connotations.

It’s an highly symbolic colour. But som
the agreement (consciously or subcons
on a white wall, we ignore the meaning
the painting. (While if the painting woul
a big chance we will somehow try to co
green with the meaning of the painting
ourselves whether the wall is part
of the artwork)”. (...)

“In other words, the white wall isn’t neu
the viewers, choose not to think of the
looking at the painting. In the same wa
it’s neutral because we choose not to t
while looking at it”.

64

del:

ced in a white space. In
the most neutral. Which is

has a lot of different meanings

mehow we (as society) made
sciously) that if a painting is installed
g of white, and we concentrate fully on
ld be installed on a green wall, there’s
onnect the meaning of the colour

g, and we will probably end up asking

utral in itself: it’s neutral because we,
meaning of the colour white while
ay, a typeface isn’t neutral in itself ;
think of its expressive characteristics

65

Re-reading this interview ten years after
interviews in general, and more specifica
fast. Not that we change our opinions so
ions are quite stable (or so we like to bel
formulate these opinions change often.

We constantly need new and better word
as if all these words are in orbit, circling
sible to fully articulate, at least for us. So
remained pretty much the same through
changing, to the point where they somet
other. That’s why it’s usually quite awkw
texts in general– we seldom agree with w

So why do we publish these old texts an
necessarily represent our current ways o
the reason for that is exactly because w
lishing these old texts, we hope to captu
interview to interview, not shifts in our op
lating these opinions into words. 

Regarding Helvetica: if we quickly had to
would start by saying that, even while w
(but certainly not exclusively, as some p
vetica have constantly changed – and ar

66

r we wrote it, we are painfully aware that
ally ‘our’ interviews, date really, really
o lightly – as a matter of fact, our opin-
lieve). But the ways in which we try to

rds to formulate our views, it’s almost
around something that remains impos-
o although our underlying views have

hout the years, our words are always
times even seem to contradict each
ward to re-read old interviews, or old
what we said.

nd interviews, when we know they don’t
of describing our opinions? We think
we want to show these changes. By pub-
ure some of the shifts that occur from
pinions, but shifts in our way of trans-

o describe our views on Helvetica, we
we have used Helvetica continuously
people like to believe), our views on Hel-

re still changing. 

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Designed by Julie Yu Chen
Typeface Helvetica

Project Helveticanism Interview designed
Megan Feehan, Studio Type.

Printer 2 west 13th street
10th floor, laser printer

“This late-modernist language, of which Helvetica always has been a big part, is
in fact OUR language – the language that made us who we are. So we feel that
we now have the right, or almost the duty, to explore this language, to expand
it, to add our own accents to it, to tell our own stories with it. And that is where
we are now. “