"When I used to study typography at art school, I understood pretty fast that all the letters of our alphabet are constructed from the beginning to the end. A font designer has to follow plenty of rules and there is just very small space for his own interpretation. On the other side there is handwriting which also has to follow certain rules but at the same time allows a wider interpretation to show your own personal character. Now the art work I will exhibit at the show is exactly a collision of this two worlds."
The Geneva gallery will show Swiss born artist from Basel, Smash137, for the very first time. He is one of the most active writers worldwide today. "Karambolage contemporary typography", a show not to be missed for all those in appreciation of the art of "Writing".
"When I used to study typography at art school, I understood pretty fast that all the letters of our alphabet are constructed from the beginning to the end. A font designer has to follow plenty of rules and there is just very small space for his own interpretation. On the other side there is handwriting which also has to follow certain rules but at the same time allows a wider interpretation to show your own personal character. Now the art work I will exhibit at the show is exactly a collision of this two worlds. I have started to work on canvas in 2004. I used to struggle quite often with this topic because I never have asked my self what I am doing here and why, I just did what from my point of view felt right and all of a sudden people started to ask me questions I had no answers ready. I mean I never have heard any good explanation why people do write theirs names on things. It just must be a human urge or at least it is to me. When I write, the world stops turning, Smash137 is the name I have given to my self. I have choose the name Smash in 1996 and since then stick to it because my plan was to hit the walls and track-sides of my city with a huge amount of fresh styles and so the name was just made for my mission."
© Smash137 / © Speerstra Gallery