Nothing Speaks Louder Than Type was the slogan engraved on the Haberule given me by a Tri Arts Press typesetting rep back in the day. This was pre-Mac prehistory, when typography was king, Helvetica ruled, and designers actually hand-lettered comps to present their ideas to clients. Among the tasty type treats available were fonts from the Photolettering catalogue, a legendary collection of hand-drawn typefaces that spit in the eye of good Swiss design.

For anyone who never had to study calligraphy, or never had to illustrate type treatments by hand - but especially for everyone who did - a tidy little exhibition of prints, patterns, products, installations and sculptures based on House Industries' 16-year love affair with alphabetical forms, opening tonight at the Type Directors Club, is a must.

Installation of House Industries: Type as Object at Type Directors Club. Photos: Peggy Roalf.

House Industries, which specializes in hand lettered fonts, is legendary for its devotion to graphic design derived from assorted American sub-cultural phenomena such as the hardcore music scene, skateboarding and video games. Their approach to font design, as detailed in the website, "provides an opportunity for House to draw attention to all of the under-appreciated art genres that made such an impact on us during our impressionable years....Each House Industries project attempts to administer an art history lesson of sorts, and to share our appreciation for these influential design eras and practices. We also do our best to give credit where credit is due, often collaborating with the original artists who inspired us."

Among their sources of inspiration is the Photolettering catalogue, which House acquired almost by default long after that operation shut down. Another is the legendary Alexander Girard, known for creating every item identifying his client's operations from logos to fabric to furniture - with typography the common thread unifying his exuberant designs. The exhibition celebrates these and other creative inspirations, installed as a "pop-up" shop, where most of the objects are available for sale. Products include wood alphabet blocks, cutting boards, totes, soft toys, and a variety of publications.

House Industries: Type as Object launches with an opening reception tonight from 6 to 8 pm and continues through November 19^th. At the close of the show, Ken Barber, one of House Industries' founding partners, will give a talk on Letter as Image. Type Directors Club, 347 West 36^th Street, 6^th Floor, New York, New York, NY. Please visit the website for information.

102009