Vernacular Typography is now on Twitter (@VernacularType). It will be a daily (or daily-ish) look at found lettering and design from New York City and beyond.
VERNACULAR TYPOGRAPHY TEES
The first line of Vernacular Typography t-shirts is now available through Homestead LTD in Japan. US ordering information and other inquiries can be sent to hello[at]vernaculartypography[dot]com.
Hats, bags, and other things forthcoming.
These shirts are soft. Like really soft.
ISRAEL PREVIEW
A preview of the new Israel section soon to be added to the main archive. Typography and lettering from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ein Gedi, Tzfat, Golan Heights, Negev Desert, random kibbutzim, and other places.
If you’re interested in supporting Vernacular Typography, consider making a donation to the project through Artspire & New York Foundation for the Arts 501(c)3 HERE. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
SUGAR HIGH
c. 1995. Pencil on lined paper with mysterious water stains, 7.5 in x 10.5 in.
Private Collection
GOODBYE CONEY ISLAND
Summer is gone and so is Coney Island as I remember it.
Coney Island was once populated by an incredible landscape of signs and symbols. The few storefronts that retain their unique signage seem more and more endangered with every visit.
In 2004, a Creative Time initiative attempted to revive the fading signscape. A group of 25 artists formed The Dreamland Artsits Club and hand painted murals in the area as well as signs for local businesses. Sadly, even many of those have since disappeared or have become isolated fragments.
Despite neighborhood opposition, development corporations continue to homogenize and strip Coney Island of its personality, replacing beautiful and inventive lettering with horrifically bland banners that are completely devoid of any aesthetic value.
Years ago, Coney Island felt like a typographic oasis, far removed from the standardized signs and sterile typography that now overwhelms most of New York. Today, it seems more like everywhere else.
View 100 more images on the Coney Island II section of the main archive.
If you’re interested in supporting Vernacular Typography, consider making a donation to the project through Artspire & New York Foundation for the Arts 501(c)3 HERE. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
WOODSIDE PRESS
I just picked up some letterpress invitations printed at the incredible Woodside Press in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The press originally opened in 1993 in Woodside, Queens after acquiring equipment from the American Type Founders Company liquidation. In 1998, they moved to their current space, which is filled to the brim with amazing type paraphernalia and not just one, but two Linotype machines. They were nice enough to let me look around at some of their amazing stuff.
Click through for more
PALM BEACH & BOUNCE BOUNCE
The rest of the Palm Beach photos have all been added to the main site.
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Also, my friend Hayley Morris‘s amazing stop-motion video for Hilary Hahn & Hauschka’s new song Bounce Bounce just premiered on IFC. Watch it below and check out the behind the scenes look at how the video was made HERE.
THINGS & STUFF
Pens, pencils, photos, postcards, notepads, and shirts are now being offered exclusively as premiums for (fully tax-deductible) contributions to Vernacular Typography through the project’s Fiscal Sponsor, ARTSPIRE (a Program of New York Foundation for the Arts). If you make a contribution and would like to receive any of the premiums, just make a note of which items you’d like in the message section. Price list below.
$15 and above
Any one of the following:
1 Postcard set in hand-stamped pouch
2 Gridded notepads
2 Bic Clic pens
2 Sharpies
4 Pencils
$25 and above
Any two of the stationery items
$50 and above
An original polaroid of lettering, with certificate of authenticity
$60 and above
Screen printed grey shirt (XS, S, M, L, or XL)
$75 and above
An 8×10 archival matte photo of any image on vernaculartypography.com (check first for availability)
For international shipping, please add $6.
SALON
In case you missed it the first time, Salon just posted the Q&A I did with Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York. Check it out HERE.
POST NO BILLS
Another section just added to the main site: Post No Bills. All the same, but different.
If you’re interested in supporting Vernacular Typography, consider making a tax-dedictible donation to the project through Artspire & New York Foundation for the Arts HERE.