Helvetica

The major concept in the film is about a specific text font created in the 1950’s. This text was quickly titled as Helvetica. The creator of this font was to create a sense of order and similarity within all of the letters in the alphabet. The main focus, made by a Switz car salesman, was to have an even amount of space between the black, an even amount of negative space, and there was background focus. In order to even make Helvetica, grids were made to allow such an organized and clear-cut design. Before this text, everything from magazines, books, and advertisements were all in different font texts; this was considered problematic because it was unorganized. In the 1950’s the change of artistic design led to a new and neutral deign of text. Therefore, Helvetica was the solution to this messy problem. The idea of Helvetica definitely works with the idea of 2D design in that it deals with everything from organized grids to negative space.

Modernism was a design that emerged with the idea of Helvetica. It was created in the late 19^th to the early 20^th century. It was the creation of traditional forms of art, specifically the Helvetica text. Differently, Postmodernism moved its focus of art and design significantly. Postmodernism disagreed with modernism entirely in its ways of purpose and look. The focus changed from neutral to expression and character. During the late 20^th, art and design was about using as many different feelings and personalities as possible through different text and design. It went from a non-emotional process, to an entirely emotional process.

Personally for me, I believe the idea of postmodernism is more of what I enjoy about art and design. I believe that art should be a means of expression. I believe every piece of work an artist captures a part of themselves in it. That’s why I think it’s impossible to not have charismatic and unique art because it makes a specific part of an artist visible to the audience. Due to the fact that this world has so many different characters, personalities, emotions, beliefs, and thoughts this is why art needs to be so versatile. It is impossible to attempt to make it neutral and orderly. I believe in creativity and different styles of art. Why would I ever want to live in a world of order… that’s no fun at all? In order to be somewhat capable of capturing the beauty of this world, art must be as versatile and emotional as the world around us.

-SKYLA GORMAN