Spontaneous Alphabet by Amanda Keeley

This is how space begins, with words only, signs traced on the blank page  #Aleph is a natural place to start. Spontaneous Alphabet started as a new typeface, which broke apart the letterforms into essential building blocks, and then restored it with restraint to its essential components. Inspired by 1960’s abstract typography, the font became an exercise in 26 letters and the foundation of this new artist’s book. Designed and printed while Artist/Researcher in Residence at AGA Lab and Rijksmuseum Library in Amsterdam, the publication was produced spontaneously in situ, content collected each day, printed every evening on the Risograph as an improvisational #nocturnal print project. This typographical journey is an exploration of color and playful design, with french folded pages and wraparound illustrations. Each letter begets an alternative NATO phonetic alphabet, designated as a #hashtag, using A-Z to create it’s own poetry generating algorithm. The permeations of wordplay are enclosed in a hidden bookmark, a nod to David Bowie’s lyric writing application, and the full alphabet appears as a key in the fold out screen printed poster. Dutch and English.

2018
Printed and bound at AGA Lab, Amsterdam, NL
Edition of 50.
Bruscky typeface designed in collaboration with Hello Gusto!
Clothbound book 18 x 25 x 1.5 cm
Poster (folded) 18 x 25; Poster (unfolded) 100 x 70 cm