Colophon Foundry applies typefaces to products

For example the words Bohémienne Blondes are written on the side of an ash tray in La Fabrique, making it look all care-free and aloof, while ‘Thank You. Have a very pleasant day’ is applied to a shopping bag in Law, presumably to look instructive, informative and to the point.

Meanwhile the Leroy typeface is clear, precise and numeric on this ruler.

In all, 26 type faces have been plucked from the Colophon portfolio and one, Burgess, has been created especially for the exhibition.

Five Years features typefaces designed by Anthony Burrill, Benjamin Critton, Alison Haigh, Oscar & Ewan, Studio Makgill, and Dries Wiewauters for Colophon, as well as typefaces by the Entente, which was run by Sheret and Harrington before they set up Colophon.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue of the same name, published by Colophon Foundry, and edited by Benjamin Critton, featuring an essay by Aileen Kwun.

The Colophon Foundry also features in the Design Museum’s Designs of the Year exhibition. It’s been nominated for the Castledown Primary School Type Family.

The typeface was first developed for the school, but has since become a system that aims to unify typography throughout UK primary schools. It can be used as an aid for learning handwriting and has been designed to be easy for dyslexic children to use.

Colophon Foundry, Five Years, runs from 4-26 April at KK Outlet, 42 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6PB.