Joseph Churchward is one of those books that come along very rarely. It's informative, it's fascinating, it's an object of beauty, it's insightful, it's historical, it's moving, and, more than anything else, it's personal. A labor of love and obsessiveness from author/designer David Bennewith, the type designer Joseph Churchward has come to represent far more than an output of simple letters. With this monograph of the Samoan-born designer, Bennewith presents a complex set of questions: Can such a thing as national identity be captured in a letterform? Is lettering art? What are its influences on other creative mediums? Who owns type? How has the advent of digital technology altered ways of seeing? And more...
With over 600 typefaces to his credit, the 76-year old now makes his home in Wellington, NZ. This book is a sincere tribute to his incredible influence, and a small step toward a recognition curiously denied.
To this day, Mr. Churchward hand-designs his fonts.
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Joseph Churchward. Ed. David Bennewith. With Rebecca Roke, Daniel van der Velden, Paul Elliman. Edition of 550. 8.25" x 12". 272 pages. $70.
