Describing themselves as “a graphic designer and letterpress terrorists” duo, we caught up with 5X Letterpress who produce prints using movable types and every ink-able surface. Working from a secret location in a basement of a print shop, the studio put together their passion for prints and type design which in turn, forms their project: 5X Letterpress. Armed with moveable type, and a printing press the pair have the freedom for ultimate experimentation that take the form of typographic prints.
Their response to our question “do you think letterpress can develop any more than where it is now?” They replied:
“Typography and layout design has received perhaps an unexpected thrust from the digital world in recent years, for example with the parametric fonts or the fluid and dynamic layout of the responsive sites. We don’t come from the digital world but we try to put something of this universe in an analogic experimentation project of letterpress which people are still drawn to regardless. ”
Does anyone come to mind who are pushing the boundaries of you can do with the letterpress technique?
Dafi Kuhne, a letterpress printmaker from Switzerland, for us he combines very well digital design with the analogue printing technique. And he’s really pushing the boundaries of letterpress world.
What’s the most exciting project you’ve enjoyed working on?
Our most exciting project, for now, is our first exhibition T’ho detto piano realised together for the international collective of Libri Finti Clandestini and hosted at Magazzino, Spazienne’s gallery. Thanks to the work with Spazienne (young collective of Italian artists) we and Libri Finti Clandestini have put us to test and see our works in a new way.
We adore their bold typographic aesthetic and will certainly be keeping an eye on their future projects. Check out their website for a colourful collection of type prints!
