Events
Looking Back with Rob Saunders: The Importance of Material Culture
with Rob Saunders, Stephen Coles
Hear Letterform Archive’s origin story. See the artifacts that inspired the collection and sparked the founding of an institution.
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Letterform Archive founder Rob Saunders sits down with associate curator Stephen Coles to discuss—and show—a personal collection that became a public resource for inspiration. Why does one collect? What does it mean to collect for other people? How does physical contact with analog artifacts change how we experience design, typography, and visual culture? Rob will share some of the first objects he saw that taught him a new way to perceive letterforms. Stephen will tell the story of visiting Rob’s home library for the first time, and then embarking on the journey that transformed a private home into a place for anyone who loves letters.
This event is part of The 10th Anniversary Symposium celebrating ten years of Letterform Archive.
Rob Saunders
Rob Saunders, Executive Director and Curator, (he/him), is a designer, teacher, publisher, and management consultant, who has collected graphic design and letterforms for over 40 years. Rob began his career teaching at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Tufts University, while serving freelance clients and agencies, before founding a book publishing enterprise that included Alphabet Press (graphic design), Picture Book Studio (children’s books), and Rabbit Ears Books (book/audio packages), which was eventually acquired by Simon & Schuster. Prior to founding Letterform Archive he served as a creative and marketing consultant with clients in the hospitality, technology, and financial industries.
Stephen Coles
Stephen “Stewf” Coles, Associate Curator & Editorial Director (he/him), joined the staff after serving on our Board of Directors since its inception. For over 20 years, he has been active in the type community, initially as a creative director at FontShop, and later as an independent consultant, connecting font makers with users. Stephen wrote the book The Anatomy of Type and co-founded the websites Typographica and Fonts In Use. With his background in design and journalism, combined with a love of type history, Stephen is responsible for the online voice of the Archive, and shares the collection through the blog and other editorial projects. As a member of the curatorial team, Stephen helps shape the future of the collection, and he co-curated the Strikethrough exhibition.
