Typocircle talk: ‘Lifeforms’, by the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop

Member Sallyanne Theodosiou has kindly been in touch to let us know about an upcoming Typocircle talk, ‘Lifeforms’, by Roxanne Kindersley and John Mawby from the Cardozo Kinderlsey Workshop, on Thursday 25 April at St. Bride Foundation.

Roxanne Kindersley and John Mawby examine the process of translating a person into lettering, whilst asking how the three-dimensional letterforms we immerse ourselves in change us as craftspeople over time, evolving a business that has run for nearly 100 years. Combining stone letter cutting and digital type design, the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop is a fascinating practice. We are excited to host an evening of conversation and inspiration around these approaches.

Roxanne and John will be taking a dive into the process of selecting letterforms to represent ourselves and those we love when commissioning inscriptions in stone. And conversely, how do the people that make up the Workshop, with their own personal inclinations affect the choices of those who walk through the Studio door.

Lettering in stone is there to last; for thousands of years it has existed to make permanent the things that matter most to us, and continues to tell our stories long after we are gone. But how does a person choose a form to represent themselves? If what you choose transcends trends and taps into your inner spirit, how do you identify this part of yourself and secure it in stone? 

Many visitors come to the Kindersley Workshop with little knowledge of lettering, but all recognise the perfect form for them when they see it.

Are you a Sans-Serif at heart? Or maybe flourishing italic speaks to you? How would you would wish to be remembered? Perhaps others see you a very different way – after all, what you like is not necessarily who you are.

As part of the talk they will bring along stones with a letter ‘R’ drawn and cut by each member of the workshop, completely blind to the work of the others. They will be circulated amongst the audience for examination as we will be touching on how each one of us has our own inclinations and ideal aesthetic when it comes to letterform, even within a typical Roman capital, and how these nuances in turn change the letterforms we use over time.

You can book tickets via eventbrite.