Then and Now: Letters in the Library
Join us during Design Week at the National Library of Ireland to celebrate our rich typographic history
Taking place in the inspiring surroundings of the National Library of Ireland, art director and typeface designer Paul Barnes, of the world renowned typeface foundry Commercial Type in London, will give a public lecture on his work to date.
This event, brought to you in collaboration with Typography Ireland, will kick off with a special guided tour led by Emma Conway, the library’s in-house Graphic Designer, and Laura Ryan, Assistant Keeper of Visual Collections. Together, they will offer a behind-the-scenes look at some carefully selected items from the Library's prints and drawings collections, providing a unique opportunity to explore the rich visual heritage housed in the National Library of Ireland. This combination of a guided tour and expert discussion will set the stage for Barnes’ lecture, creating an enriching experience that connects historical art with modern design practices.
Following this tour, the lecture will commence at 5pm in Joly Lecture Theatre.
Tours will run at: 4pm - 4.30pm & 4.30 - 5pm
This event is part of Irish Design Week and organised by the National Library of Ireland and Typography Ireland.
Paul Barnes is a graphic designer specializing in the fields of lettering, typography, type design. He is a partner with Christian Schwartz in the internationally acclaimed type foundry, Commercial Type, with offices in New York and London. He worked for Roger Black in New York where he was involved in redesigns of many magazines including Esquire and Newsweek. He later returned to America to be art director of the music magazine Spin. Since 1995 he has lived and worked in London. He formed a long term collaboration with Peter Saville, which has resulted in such diverse work as identities for Givenchy, ‘Original Modern’ for Manchester, the England football team kit and the logo for Kate Moss. Barnes has also been an advisor and consultant on numerous publications, notably Wallpaper*, Harper’s Bazaar and frieze. Whilst consultant to The Guardian in 2005 he designed the Guardian set of typefaces with Christian Schwartz for the groundbreaking redesign of the newspaper. As part of the team headed by Mark Porter, Barnes was awarded the Black Pencil from the D&AD.
Discover more
A Store of Knowledge and Learning
