Typography in contemporary art has become a dynamic and influential trend, pushing the boundaries of traditional design and expression. Artists are increasingly using typography as a central component in their work, blending visual aesthetics with linguistic meaning. This trend reflects a broader shift towards interdisciplinary approaches and a recognition of the power of words in visual communication.
One notable aspect of contemporary typographic art is its diversity. Artists are experimenting with various typefaces, font sizes, and styles to convey different emotions, messages, and tones. From bold and expressive lettering to minimalist and subtle typography, the range of possibilities allows for a nuanced exploration of the relationship between form and content.
Wasted Rita, a contemporary Portuguese artist known for her irreverent and provocative works, employs typography as a powerful tool to convey her bold and unfiltered messages. Rita's approach to typography is characterized by a raw and unapologetic aesthetic that explores her love-hate relationship with living, and with the world around her.
Her practise is confessional, voicing funny, intimate, and inappropriate thoughts that every viewer can relate to in some respect. Her use of profanity and blunt language is one of the defining features of her work, pushing the boundaries of acceptable discourse and societal expectations of ‘fine art.’ The choice of words in her typography serves as a direct and unfiltered commentary on various aspects of contemporary culture, including social expectations, consumerism, and the art world itself.
Rita's typography is not only about the words but also about the visual impact of the letters themselves. Her hand-drawn and expressive lettering style adds an element of authenticity to her work. The imperfections in the letters contribute to the rebellious yet playful aesthetic, emphasizing the artist's rejection of conventional norms and expectations. Her works – which range across the mediums of painting, drawing, sculpture, and installation – project her poignant observations and unique, authentic voice. Find a selection of works by Wasted Rita here, at Rhodes Contemporary Gallery.
Ces McCully’s artistic practise is characterized by minimalistic forms and text-led compositions. Her typographic canvases feel confessional, voicing secret and personal thoughts in bold and eye-catching typefaces that subvert the intimacy of their messages. McCully, a contemporary Australian artist now based in southern France, works mostly with oil or acrylic paint on canvas to create her stylised and recognisable compositions.
'I THOUGHT THAT I HID MY WEIRDNESS WELL'
14 Colour Screen on Somerset Tub
Her series of type-led works were inspired by the isolating lockdown forced upon the globe by the Covid-19 pandemic; each piece showcases themes of honestly, vulnerability and forgiveness. The paintings express familiar thought or glimpses of relatable experiences, providing a voice for the hidden aspects of our identities and challenging the curated personas we present to the online world.
'HELP I'M BORED AGAIN (CHALKBOARD BLACK)'
The bold letters of her pieces are just as important as the thoughts and phrases they illustrate. Employing a vivid yet carefully controlled palette, the typography encourages contemplation and reflection not just on the ideas expressed but upon the shape and form of the letters themselves. McCully is intrigued by the juxtaposition of these shapes and the negative space around them, and how this can create and conjure narratives. Recent limited editions of her typographic work can be found here at Rhodes Editions; check out Rhodes Contemporary Gallery for her paintings here.
Nick Smith’s work subverts ideas of typography in art. A British contemporary artist, Smith is known for his distinctive ‘colour swatch style’ that plays upon Pantone colour swatches. His works involve collaged chips of pigment intersected with small snippets of text, creating pixelated subjects ranging from classic pop culture references to the works of old masters.
Giclée with Screenprinted Varnish on Canson Rag Photographique 310 gsm Paper
Whilst not typography in the traditional sense, Smith’s works subtly play between language and visual elements. A dialogue is created within his works between the colour and text; the words sit between colour swatches, disrupting these blank spaces. The small-scale, minimalistic text must be read up close, yet the wider picture can only be seen from a distance, creating a playful experimentation with perspective.
Nick Smith
Signed, Dated and Numbered in Pencil
435 Colour Chip Collage on Fabriano 5 Paper
His most recent collection reimagines the impasto landscapes of Van Gogh through Smith’s recognisable pixelated style. Meticulously assembled pigment swatches are carefully titled, showing a deep understanding of colour theory and attention to detail. These works can be discovered in his current exhibition, Paracosm, at Rhodes Contemporary Gallery. Smith operates in a unique form of visual communication, consciously engaging colour, tone, and language in a way that subverts traditional genres of artistic practise. Find limited prints of his work here, at Rhodes Editions.
The exploration of typography in contemporary art has evolved into a multifaceted and influential trend, pushing the boundaries of conventional design and expression. Artists like Wasted Rita, Ces McCully, and Nick Smith each contribute a unique perspective to this dynamic landscape. New works from each of these artists will be showcased in the upcoming Rhodes Contemporary exhibition ‘Origins: a Celebration of Paper,’ open from 1st December 2023 until 27th January 2024. Find details here, or get in touch via email: info@rhodescontemporaryart.com
