"the most ubiquitous of all typefaces"

So in Boston I got to see the much anticipated 50 Years of Helvetica exhibit at New York's MoMA! (Yes, I used an exclaimation point and I never use those silly puctuation marks.)

Actually, it was much more glamorous in my head and much more like a corner in a huge museum in reality. But it was a fine tribute to a revolutionary factor in modern design nonetheless.

It had a wall (printed in Helvetica obviously) explaining the exhibit. You can find the same info here.

There were subway signs, Beattles T-shirts and Swedish posters all printed in Helvetica, and a full set of led Helvetica typeset.

The photo is all the people crowding around to see it. Also, "Helvetica" the movie was playing silently on a flatscreen. The giftshop was sold out of the film, but apparently it's available at Barnes & Noble now. I'll pick it up next time I'm there -- expect a full review.

Merry NCAA-ing

In light of the March Madness in the air, here's my page of the week, straight from Omaha, Nebraska is the World-Herald:
























The scoreboard treatment is clever, but not too cute. The "out of reach" word play works. The photos have good crops and the typography is nicely done. There's a nice mix of stories and promos.

Chlorine in Tacoma, Metro news and typographical birthdays

I'm in Boston so there may not be page of the week.

But since I'm traveling I've been able to pick up several different newspapers. Sunday's Tacoma News Tribune had a very compelling treatment for their story invesigating a chlorine leak that occured in mid-February. There was no dominate art above the fold, but I saw the typography and thought: I must buy this paper and read that story. Unfortunately my traveling preventing me from snagging a PDF off Newseum.

I've also been reading the Boston Globe and the NYT out here. And some crappy "Metro" tab that's free when you --surprise -- ride the Metro.

Also, I'll be in New York this weekend. I will have a full review of the Museum of Modern Art's exhibit 50 Years of Helvetica and Design and the Elastic Mind.

I'm hoping to snag a copy of "Helvetica" the movie while at MOMA.