vortrag_gespräche an der graphischen
tobias frere-jones
„in letters we trust”


datum_mittwoch, 10. juni 2015
zeit_19:00 uhr

ort_designforum | mq


this talk will present ongoing research into the use of letterforms as a means of security for citizens and governments alike, thwarting forgery in plain sight and in secret. some strategies have relied on high-profile collaborations, and others on home-grown cunning. interwoven is a story of war and peace, technology, culture and economics. the narrative will focus on american banknotes from the colonial period to the present day, with additional examples of government permits and lottery tickets.

over 25 years, tobias frere-jones has established himself as one of the world’s leading typeface designers, creating some of the world’s most widely used typefaces, including interstate, poynter oldstyle, whitney, gotham, surveyor, tungsten and retina. frere-jones received a bfa in graphic design from the rhode island school of design in 1992. he joined the faculty of the yale university school of art in 1996 and has lectured throughout the united states, europe and australia. his work is in the permanent collections of the victoria & albert museum in london and the museum of modern art in new york. in 2006, the royal academy of visual arts in the hague (kabk) awarded him the gerrit noordzij prijs, for his contributions to typographic design, writing and education. in 2013 he received the aiga medal, in recognition of exceptional achievements in the field of design. tobias launched his new type design practice, frere-jones type, in january 2015.