4.5
4Job:01212 Title: Basics typography (AVA)
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Digital typography: 4.5 The ‘cult of the scratchy’
4.4 Technology and beyond 4.6 Multidisciplinary designThe ‘cult of the scratchy’
Typographic designer David Carson sparked what
Jessica Helfand coined the ‘cult of the scratchy’. This
was another trend that raised questions about the
relevance of legibility in relation to typographic forms of
expression. But the ‘cult of the scratchy’ did not follow
any rationale. In order to avoid the need for intellectual
justifi cation, Kerrie Jacobs took refuge by referring to
intuitive design practice in her introduction to Carson’s
second book 2nd Sight. But is it so unthinkable to
assess analytically the role of intuition in the context of
communication? The philosopher Nelson Goodman
suggests that ‘in aesthetic experience emotions function
cognitively’ (Nelson, 1969). The aesthetics of typographic
work communicate by provoking emotive responses.Emotional stimulation – as diffi cult as it may be to
explain – is relevant to the communication process.
But as designers do not tend to read philosophy, critical
discourse did not survive throughout the 1990s, and
the digital revolution in typography started to run out
of steam. Even where designers were not forced to
sacrifi ce their stylistic ambitions to the demands of the
mainstream market, postmodernism had been absorbed
by the industries that welcomed the emotive qualities of
postmodern typography. All that was left was the debate
that juxtaposed the slogans ‘form follows function’ and
‘form follows fun’.RayGun – David Carson
David Carson’s success in the 1990s nourished the belief
of many that anyone could become a typographer. Having
never had a formal design education, Carson tried his hand
at the design of various magazines including Beach Culture
until he managed to leave his mark on typography with his
work for RayGun. Now the spirit of punk graphics had
returned once again, if only aesthetically. But Carson’s
grungy, Generation-X-based agitation seemed devoid of
any message or agenda that would go beyond the notion
that there is more to culture than the mainstream. As much
as Dadaism was anti-art, Carson’s version of postmodern
typography was a kind of anti-design, an empty message
to ridicule the design establishment.‘Scratchiness is intentionally
misaligned and almost
purposefully sloppy – a celebration
of all that is ill-resolved and
non-committal.’
Jessica HelfandJob:01212 Title: Basics typography (AVA)
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