WHAT IS ISTD?

ISTD, known as, International Society of Typographic Designers is run by professional typographers, graphic designers and educators. Their aim is to keep the standards of typography, the adaption and creativity of it to graphic design.

THE BRIEF

Referencing Italo Calvino's book, "Invisible Cities", I selected four cities minimum to tell a tale. In this brief, I look at a comparison of these cities within a South African context.

Invisible Cities is a travelogue to places that do not exist. It is a work that brushes aside conventions of form and narrative to ruminate on ideas of memory and place, touching on everything from trajectory of civilizations to the limits of communication.

CONCEPT: INJUSTICE IN SOUTH AFRICA

“The novel introduces Kublai Khan as a powerful leader, intent on learning about every city in his empire so that he may more fully control the empire.”

This concept will have a gradual effect for each page, it will start off with horrid and end off with victory. Kublai shows traits of a powerful leader/president that thinks his empire is balanced, however he does not know the truth about any of it. Marco, the traveller reports back to him about what his kingdom is really like, some cities are amazing and beautiful while others are built to bring destruction. With the concept, each city represents what South Africa has gone through during apartheid mixed with current issues that are still occurring. The segregation of socio-economic groupings, poverty, 'femicide' of women and the voices of the people. However, this is conveyed in the story of apartheid from the middle to the end but will reflect on how history still repeats itself in different ways, where the bad somehow always gets power. Introducing each city will be opened with well-known politicians, so that it creates a better understanding of the story.

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THE MEETING OF KUBLAI KHAN AND MARCO POLO

"Everything is equal here in the rainbow nation. No one remembers why it was built this way, yet the inhabitants describe their vision of a happy life as looking like Zenobia."

ZENOBIA (THIN CITIES)

"Pieter Willem Botha: Also known as the Groot Krokodil/ P.W. Botha,

was a South African prime minister from 1978 to 1984 and the primary

official State President from 1984 to 1989."

"Zenobia is built on tall pilings, stilts, and suspended stairways. No one remembers the significance as to why it is this way. Marco Polo states it does not make sense to classify cities as cheerful or despondent; instead individuals ought to consider whether a city gives shape to people’s wants, or whether desires. cloud the city."

CONCEPT:
P.W. Botha, also known as "Die Groot Krokodil", mentioned in the House of Assembly , "We must adapt or die", meaning we can only try and survive through this and accept it or die.

ARMILLA (THIN CITIES)

A city that’s unfinished, pipes are broken that women may even bathe in the puddles. Just
like Armilla, South Africa is a country that is unfinished, most the population lives in poverty while others are living in lavish areas. There is huge contrast between areas.

TEXT:

"Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid progressive, political pioneer and humanitarian who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999."

TEXT:

"A city that is unfinished or demolished. It misses ceilings, floors and lacks support. The city isn’t deserted, women bathe in the water from the broken pipes. “Abandoned before or after it was inhabited, Armilla cannot be called deserted.” (Chapter 3, Thin Cities 3 by Italo Calvino)."

CONCEPT:

The word "poverty" indicates how the poor in South Africa live, unstable, almost ready to stumble over whereas the more richer side of South Africa lives lavishly and stable. Are the rich ready to help the poor or only make them poorer?

ZOBEIDE (CITIES OF DESIRES)

A dream by a man: The men tried to make it an established city, women find it difficult to escape the city. They hope for it to become true. In todays day in age, South Africa still faces inequality of women, along with the femicide issues that are occurring.

TEXT:

"South African social labourer and dissident considered by numerous South Africans to be the “Mother of the Nation.” She was the spouse

of Nelson Mandela, from whom she separated in 1992 as a result of her militancy and defiant actions."

TEXT:

"Zobeide is a city established by men of different nations, having the same dream about running after a woman. After chasing the woman, she vanished. The men decided to search for the city from the dream but it was never discovered so they established a city that reflects the dream, hoping that they will see her. “The first to arrive could not understand what drew these people to Zobeide, this ugly city, this trap.” (Chapter 3, Cities of Desires 5 by Italo Calvino)."

CONCEPT:

Blackletter was a gothic font used by Germans, during the time where the Nazi's ruled Germany, they used to encourage women to be naturing to their family and that they couldn't do more than that.

THEODORA (HIDDEN CITIES)

The city of Theodora underwent an intrusion of serpents, insects, flies, termites and rats. The people won at the end, and all went away. Just like the apartheid that brought horrific events, the power of the people won out at the end.

TEXT:

"Amandla within the Nguni dialects means "power". The word was a popular emotional cry within the days of resistance against apartheid,

utilized by the African National Congress and its partners"

TEXT:

"The city of Theodora has endured from repetitive attacks, undermining its residents' survival. To begin with it was condors, at that point serpents, insects, flies and termites. Each intrusion was halted with a killing. After a while, the risk of rats remained. Each wave of rats that survived a killing got stronger, but eventually the people won."

CONCEPT:

The repetitive fists forming a spiral emphasises on how strong the people of South Africa were fighting against apartheid. It was a constant fight trying to get rid of Apartheid law, which South Africa eventually got rid of together.

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