CERGU-researcher Johan Järlehed receives funding from the Marcus Wallenberg Foundation for the organization of an international symposium on typographic landscaping, to be held at the University of Gothenburg, 17-18 June 2013.
This symposium approaches the study of typography to the field of research on linguistic or semiotic landscapes, i.e. the symbolic construction of the public space through semiotic resources like language, images, materials, colours, and fonts. A central concern in this field is with the interplay of language, images and space in the construction and contestation of identities, communities, and power relations. However, although typography is an increasingly important feature in contemporary urban space, little attention has been paid to it within semiotic landscape research. The aim of the symposium is therefore to gather scholars of linguistics and graphic design, plus practitioners (graphic designers and typographers), from different countries to discuss political, economic, cultural and technological aspects of typography, particularly how it is used to construct and contest identities, communities and power relations in the semiotic landscape.
More details and program to be announced soon. For more information, please contact Johan.Jarlehed@sprak.gu.se.