WhatYouSee/WhatYouGet

Artist LettError Netherlands, founded 1989

Artist Erik van Blokland Netherlands, born 1967

Artist Just van Rossum Netherlands, born 1966

Date1994

Dimensions23 3/8 x 16 1/2 in. (59.4 x 41.9 cm)

ClassificationsPoster

Credit LinePoster House Permanent Collection

Terms

Object numberPH.7570

DescriptionAlso included in issue 11 was this poster by the Dutch group LettError promoting a typeface that (intentionally) promises a lot and delivers little. “Inspired by cheap signs on the doors of strange bars in bad neighborhoods,” the digital letterforms reference seedy locations that use fancy fonts and neon lights to lure customers. LettError noted that “we made them look like the stuff other nameless, tasteless people have made in the last 30 years.” Playing on the concept of high expectations versus disappointing reality, the printed versions of each letterform fail to resemble the over-the-top tackiness of the on-screen glyphs. This division between what is shown on screen and what is printed was achieved by combining two different fonts into a single file so that the digital rendering would not match the physical product.

On View

Not on view