alternate_characters by The Typographic Circle

Freedom implies the ability to act or change without constraint. We invite you to cut and re-assemble glyphs and characters from different alphabets and languages (Latin & Japanese) and freely create figures, animals and creatures that take on a new identity. The idea: to free these characters from their editorial meaning and view them purely as graphic shapes. They can be standing, walking or running. Like us humans, typographic characters have quirks and personalities of their own and we want you to evoke this charisma through your creations. The workshop will be playful and physical, cutting and sticking the working parts.

At the end of each session they will be combined to take on a whole new meaning – a sense of camaraderie – building a multicultural identity for Birmingham. The project will reference several artistic friezes that appear in Birmingham with the construction of a long frieze on a wall in the festival. A simple website will be built to record the artworks for posterity.

Introduced by Jim Sutherland & Alice Tosey from the Typographic Circle, who are a not-for-profit organisation bringing together anyone with an interest in design, craft and typography. They will show a few relevant design projects including their proposed 2020 Tokyo Olympics submission. Jim runs studio Sutherl& and is vice chair of the Typographic Circle. Alice is an independent creative, exploring her cultural heritage of both Japan and the UK, and a member of the Typocircle committee.