Sara Fanelli's Writing All Over the Tate

When he’s not critiquing design writing, Rick “Don’t Hate the Bloggers, Just Hate the Blogs” Poynor is checking out designed writing, more specifically the hand-lettering that covers the interiors of the Tate Modern. “The writing on the gallery wall,” a web feature on Eye’s site, examines the work of illustrator Sara Fanelli, who hand-wrote (among other things) a 40-meter timeline of modernism that’s sprayed along the gallery walls. While it makes the museum more accessible and certainly more photogenic in general, Poynor’s not sure what goal the installation achieves:

Fanelli’s gallery entrance designs consist of keywords in capitals–authenticity, colour field, anxiety, improvisation, sublime–surrounded by the names of artists found in the gallery: Rouault, Bacon, Dubuffet, Rothko, Asger Jorn, Tacita Dean (these examples are from Material Gestures).

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in