But you may not automatically think about the history behind the design of your favorite fonts. A new exhibit at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts showcases the changes in typeface design over the first half of the 20th century. "Face the Nation," from the University of St. Thomas, looks at how motivations to reinvent, redefine or transcend national identity shaped typeface design.
Craig Eliason, University of St. Thomas assistant professor of art history and the curator of the exhibit, hopes that people will leave the show with an understanding of where the fonts they use come from. "Letterforms express something about the time, place and conditions under which they are designed and used," Eliason said. He studies typefaces the same way he might look at the traditional fine arts. So it's not that he and his group of St. Thomas master's students simply have a crush on the aesthetics of typefaces -instead, they analyze with an eye for larger meaning.
Though the exhibit only covers the first part of the 20th century, typeface designs undoubtedly have resonance today, he explains. In the current race for the White House, Barack Obama and John McCain have chosen distinctive fonts as a means of conveying their messages. Obama, fitting with his mantra of change and new beginnings, has chosen a newer geometric sans serif typeface called Gotham for his campaign. The design is clear and welcoming, practically announcing trustworthiness . McCain has also chosen a clean-looking font called Optima, but his is more severe than Obama's, just so you know that he means business. Perhaps no coincidence, McCain's font is the same typeface used on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, Eliason said. A reader of McCain's Web site might suddenly feel an overwhelming rush of patriotism, and that's no accident.