Astrid Seme: Kerning to Speech

Kerning pairs are something profoundly technical in a typeface, yet this is where each one draws its breath from. Initially invisible, in Kerning to Speech they become their very own literary script. And it is only with Houdini, Triptych, Compagnie, Vulture and Vulgaire that this piece of text evolves to a notation which is meant to be performed and meant to be heard.

In a medieval manner the speaker uses her eyes to hear, modelling her perception of the written word upon the experience of the spoken one. Instead of mumbling, the kerning pairs get loudly pronounced as the reader goes along. Moreover, in the tradition of the voces paginarum [voices of the page] they become a persona and tune into the chorus of the Pyte Foundry’s type catalogue.

Concept: Astrid Seme

Speaker: Doris Meixner