During her UCLA course, media arts design student Amy Fang made a publication called TypeUnseen, focusing on the textual element, creative typography, and the trend of brutalism in graphic design.

How do contemporary graphic designers utilize illegibility within the art of typography? Type Unseen is a reader on designed illegibility and visual nonsense; it analyzes the influence our youth culture has had on experimental typography, all the while exploring the multitude of philosophies that drive us to construct and deconstruct meaning.

Type Unseen was conceptualized in early 2020 as a means to uncover trends followed by young typographic designers, championing abstract experimentation and ornamentation over meaning. The book is a compendium of ten case studies, catalogued within four different sections: showcasing typography as image and pure form; as a means of producing identity; as a catalyst for protest; and as a way of being. However, in the context of a year shaped by a global health crisis and racial reckoning, Type Unseen asks another question for young designers—what messages will ultimately materialize and shape the aesthetics of our generation?

The book typography uses Suisse Int’l as text typeface, with Charon, Deformi, Euphoria, and Al Fresco for display. In addition, Amy Fang includes a spread with a quote by Michael Bierut in which “he contemplates his jump from typographic fidelity while working for [Massimo] Vignelli, to typographic promiscuity.” She has set his words in 25 typefaces, “some of the craziest I’ve collected over the past year.”

The front and back cover feature stretched caps from Charon and Al Fresco.

Charon is mixed with Euphoria.

The condensed all-caps Charon is being paired with Deformi.

Spread with the quote by Michael Bierut, set in 25 different typefaces. From top to bottom, these are:

Gang, Kraft, Charon, 12:51, Lapicide, Parabole, Clifton, Pilowlava, Euphoria, Salicorne, BD Retrocentric, Alt Display, Basylisk, CNVS, Glyphworld Meadow, Digestive, Icarus, Apfel Grotezk, Love, Misto, Grand Slang, Le Murmure, Halyard Micro, Sprat, Ornamentum.

The hhintersection website is an art mediation project, focusing on topics of diversity and encouraging experimentation in the educational institution and beyond. It is a platform where artists and creative producers can share ideas and be visible online.

The project began within the University of Fine Arts (HfBK), Hamburg with a desire to draw the outside world into the institution and allow the work and actions within the university to make moves towards the exterior.

Navigating through the website you’ll find reading material, documentation of previous events as well as information about upcoming things, and projects we’re interested in and want to share and support. hhintersection’s focus is on promoting content representing femme and queer artists and producers aiming to make this material and information available to all.

The website features numerous contemporary typefaces created by independent designers. Colors change with every load, or with the click of the button on the right. Web design and coding by Yulia Wagner. Typefaces in use throughout the website include:

Zorn by Laura Csocsán
Till Normal by Pauline Le Pape
David by Émilie Rigaud
Neustadt by Samara Keller
Nostra Stream by Lucas Descroix
CNVS by Daniel Martins
Grobe Serif and Soft Floral by Emma Othmer

Logo on the website is using Zorn typeface.

Older version of the website using various typefaces on the homepage.

Older version of the website using Neustadt by Samara Keller in the title.

Podcast title using Nostra Stream by Lucas Descroix.

Title using Till by Pauline Le Pape.