Wellington artist, Sonya Lacey, made history one day late in March this year at the Museum’s Mangaroa foundry. After a long gestation a new metal typeface emerged from the Monotype Super Caster ably delivered by operator Michael Curry. While not without difficulties it’s certainly a great credit to Sonya that the first new metal typeface of the century, very rare if ever seen before in New Zealand, was brought into the world.

 

Conceived for an exhibition entitled Dilutions and Infinitesimals at The Engine Room in Wellington and The Physics Room in Christchurch, the project reflects Sonya’s interest in printing histories, typography and physical forms of communication.

 

The new typeface was based on a sans-serif designed by David Kindersley that was originally intended to be readable from a distance and at speed. The 60 pt. matrices were made by JJ Frasers in Lower Hutt with a CNC router.

 

The project has already received a considerable amount of attention and Sonya has been invited to show an aspect of it in Munich later this year. More information is available at sonyalacey.net and a video of the foundry process can be viewed on You Tube—click here.

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