Typographic Jazz Curator Tour

Using a mismatched set of 19th-century wood block letters, Stauffacher reimagined type as abstract form. His experiments in inking and layering led to an extraordinary body of monoprints, each one-of-a-kind. Through unfinished work, viewers get to peek into Stauffacher’s mind and observe his use of abstraction, color, form, rotation, overprinting, ink manipulation, and transparency.

“For these monoprints, Stauffacher used letters as simple geometric shapes to create abstract compositions. It took careful planning and precision, but also spontaneity. That’s what makes them so exciting, because it takes them out of the world of graphic design and into the world of modern art.” — Rob Saunders

Rob Saunders, the Executive Director and Curator at Letterform Archive, is a designer, teacher, publisher, and management consultant, who has collected graphic design and letterforms for over 40 years. Rob began his career teaching at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Tufts University, while serving freelance clients and agencies, before founding a book publishing enterprise that included Alphabet Press (graphic design), Picture Book Studio (children’s books), and Rabbit Ears Books (book/audio packages), which was eventually acquired by Simon & Schuster. Prior to founding Letterform Archive he served as a creative and marketing consultant with clients in the hospitality, technology, and financial industries.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Letterform Archive, 2325 3rd Street, San Francisco, United States