Omar Rayo exhibitions catalogues and posters (circa 1972–1985)
Omar Rayo (1928–2010) was an abstract art painter from Colombia whose geometric Op Art works have been exhibited multiple times at Museo La Tertulia and at Museo Rayo in Cali. The two museums collaborated on a retrospective exhibition with paintings from both collections. Each time a catalogue was printed it featured a different typeface arrangement, mostly with geometric display typefaces. Both museums even made an special exhibition in 1977 called Los Rayos del Museo Rayo y los Rayos del Museo La Tertulia.
Some exhibition catalogues like the one for La constante geometría from 1972 had original lettering, but most of the covers and posters are early examples of instant lettering typefaces in use, with very original typesettings. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any information about the designer of these printed materials.
Another exhibition from 1985 called Rayo Serie Raya Blanca Raya Negra shows Stripes in use. In Spanish, Omar’s family name Rayo could be translated to “ray”, but when used in feminine form, Raya means “stripe”. In this case, it transtales to: Rayo White Stripe and Black Stripe Series.
Joc Line (1973).
Stop (1971) and caps from an unidentified wide grotesk (similar to Akzidenz-Grotesk or Venus breit) for Omar Rayo at the Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo.
Sans-serif caps from what appears to be a predigital cut of Helvetica, cropped and repeated.
Traffic (1973).
This piece of lettering appears to be modeled after Pacella Graphic Biform or Bailey.
Deutsch Black (1966).
These letterforms that look like folded paper strips are either custom drawn or from an unidentified typeface.
Compacta Bold Outline (1965) on an angle, with a circle punched out and rotated.
Eurostile neretto largo (1962), caught in a grid.
ITC Ronda Bold (1970), with a crop-and-repeat treatment and a custom interlinear ligature.
Good Vibrations (1973).
Yagi Link Double (1968).
Baby Teeth (c. 1966).
Hot Dog (1975). While most of the other typefaces were carried by Letraset, Hot Dog was exclusive to their competitor Mecanorma.
These caps look like they’re from Moore Computer (1968). The Y isn’t a match, though – it might be an alternate, or a modification.
This ladder-like arrangement appears to use custom drawn letterforms.
Poster for Rayo Serie Raya Blanca Raya Negra (1985), featuring Stripes and Helvetica. The Museo Rayo logo at the bottom left is based on ITC Avant Garde Gothic, while the text at the right is set in caps from Wexford.
Poster for La Constante Geometria (1972), ft. more ITC Ronda and Univers Ultra Condensed or similar. The big “OMAR RAYO” is probaby custom. For similar extracompressed digital fonts, see Radiator or Fit Skyline.
2 Comments on “Omar Rayo exhibitions catalogues and posters (circa 1972–1985)”
The wide sans in that third picture might be Breite halbfette Reform-Grotesk-Versalien. Funtimod’s version for the Brazilian market was called Grotesca Reforma.
Looks good! Added, thank you.