The fight for freedom and equality in America often relies on the strength of public messaging — messaging that captures your attention at first glance. “Characters: Type in Action” is a new exhibition at MODA, the Museum of Design Atlanta, examining the often-overlooked role of typography in liberation movements, while sometimes serving as a tool of oppression.
Co-curator Tré Seals recently joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to share the historic hidden power of typeface design.
“[The exhibition] chronicles not only Black history, but the history of other liberation movements through typography,” says Seals, starting at the typefaces used on posters about slavery in the USA and moving through the present day. “What’s so interesting about the role of typography during slavery is that, as the number of slaves increased throughout American history, so did the variety of typographic styles,” Seals said.
As time passed through the American experiment, liberation movements began to pick up on the attention-grabbing fonts and turning them to their own purposes, adding variety and playfulness to what was originally a very limited palate.
“Characters: Type in Action” is on view through Jan. 20 at MODA.
