Feeling the need to get back to my typographic roots and take a bit of a breather from all this nodal memepunkian jibber jabber, some good old fashioned aussie type should be in order.
As the impetus to this post, there's a bit of a thread going on at Typophile regarding the setting up of an Australian Typography Club. Something that I would genuinely love to see get off the ground. So if it's your cup of tea, head on over there and give your two cents.
Spotted these lovely specimens the other day and couldn't resist. Transplanting itself next door to itself, Movida next door seems to be a more casual version (judging by the name, and possibly the price) than the original. While I would normally object to ruining the facade, I don't think I would have noticed it were it not for the smart tile signage that somehow speaks perfectly for the fusion between spanish and (mod)aussie food that they have on hand. Either that, or I'm reading into it too much, but I sincerely hope not. Vernacular wise, it's a great specimen and something I didn't know was missing from my library.
Covertly snapped this from a friends bag the other week. Is it just me, or is there a strange mixing of the previously painful xenophobia and oh so twentieth century nationalism (that The Little Man used to his advantage a few summers ago, and yes, you know which summer I'm talking about) and the craft movement going on? Surely I can't be the only one. Suddenly inner suburban hipsters are completely down with lamingtons, anzac cookies, tea towels with koalas and then pillows and aprons made from those very same tea towels. It seems to be a case of re-appropriation of the aussie identity away from all the flag wavers, while keeping one toe dipped in the cold shallow kiddie pool of soft power irony. Don't get me wrong, I think it's neat and one could easily argue that this post is a symptom of the trend (notice how I didn't say meme). I just think it's weird that Frankie magazine has kinda sprung up around this non existent fashion. Might have something to do with all the 2nd year arts students moving a few isles down the op shop to pick up some cheap kitsch to show to their housemates while they try out all the cool threads on offer (while drinking red wine in mugs, naturally).
Meanwhile, spotted this gem while perusing the laneways behind Nicholson st. Found this great mini network of houses that seem to all share this open space between their houses. They've got outdoor furniture chained to the wall that seems to have been donated to everyone, and I suspect it's an artists colony of some sort (one of the houses had flowers painted on it).
A few minutes down the road I came across a lovely milk bar specimen. I'm beginning to notice enough variations of milk bars for a whole new taxonomy of the definitions inherent within the type but we might leave that for another day.
Just a casual reminder to head on over to Typophile if you're interested in seeing the aussie type club get off the ground.













i really love this kind of stuff especailly, in asia there is heaps of odd signs etc will get some pics to show you
Posted by: josh | September 20, 2008 at 08:51 PM