Alan Kitching (typographic artist)

Alan Kitching in 2016

Alan Kitching RDI AGI Hon FRCA (born 1940), is a practitioner of letterpress typographic design and printmaking. Kitching exhibits and lectures across the globe, and is known for his expressive use of wood and metal letterforms in commissions and limited-edition prints.[1][2]

Early life

Born 1940 in Darlington, Co. Durham, he was an apprentice compositor (1956–61). From 1962–64 he was a technician in hand and line type composition, Department of Printing, Watford College of Technology, Herts. After meeting Anthony Froshaug (the new head of department) Kitching co-established the experimental printing workshop at Watford College of Technology. Kitching later continued to collaborate with Froshaug on student projects at the Central School of Art & Design.

Professional career

In 1973 Alan began his own design practice in London with Colin Forbes. In 1977 he partnered with Derek Birdsall and Martin Lee at Omnific and started letterpress printing there in 1985. He began letterpress workshops in 1986 at Omnific Studios, Islington, London. He then went on to establish The Typography Workshop in Clerkenwell (1989). From 1994 he worked in partnership with designer/writer Celia Stothard (later his wife). In 1999, in partnership with designer and teacher, Celia Stothard FRSA, Kitching purchased a large collection of theatrical wood types, now named, ‘Entertaining Types’ and housed in Kennington, Lambeth, South London.

Teaching

Awards and Membership of professional bodies

  • Designers and Art Directors Association (D and AD)
  • 1999: Fellow of Chartered Society of Designers
  • 1999: Member of Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI)
  • 1994: Royal Designer for Industry (RDI)
  • 1996: Member of the Designers and Art Directors Association (D&AD) 1997: Fellow of Royal Society of Arts
  • 1998: Fellow of the Royal College of Art
  • 2001: Visiting Professor The London Institute (now University of the Arts London)

Commissions

  • 1999: Stamps for Royal Mail: Magna Carta Millennium series
  • 2002: Poems on the buses for Transport for London
  • 2002: Posters for the National Theatre’s Transformation season of plays
  • 2002: Stamps for the Royal Mail: Love Occasion series
  • 2001/2003: Typographic artwork for The Guardian Newspaper[3]
  • 2003: Typographic artworks for VSO poster campaign ‘We need professionals’
  • 2003: Typographic mural for The Guardian Newspaper building reception

Exhibitions

  • 1992: Gallery at Pentagram, SOLO SHOW
  • 1993: Royal College of Art, SOLO SHOW
  • 1994: Crafts Council ‘True to Type’, 5 works, catalogue, ISBN 1870145 35 6
  • 1994: D&AD “Festival of Excellence’, 4 works
  • 1994: Paperpoint shop, several works
  • 1996: ’20 Designers for a Silhouette’, Centre Pompidou, Paris
  • 1996: Royal Mail Stamps, London
  • 1997: ‘British Graphic Design’, Cologne, Germany
  • 1997: The Gallery at Pentagram, London
  • 1998: Coningsby Gallery SOLO SHOW
  • 2000: ‘Powerhouse’, UK
  • 2001: Gallery at Pentagram, ‘In Darkest England’
  • 1998: The British Pavilion, ‘Information expertise @ UK’; The Library and Information Commission, Amsterdam
  • 1999: ‘A K TypeArt 98’, The Coningsby Gallery, London, one man show
  • 2002: Gallery at Pentagram, London, one man show
  • 2004: Public Address System, London and Berlin
  • 2004: Pax Brittanica, London Advanced Graphics London
  • 2016: Somerset House
  • 2016: Suffolk
  • 2016: The Lighthouse, Glasgow

Talks and conferences

  • 1994: icograda, London
  • 1995: icograda, Lisbon
  • 1995: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Amalfi, Italy
  • 1997: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Barcelona, Spain
  • 1998: A Typ.1, Lyon, France
  • 2002: University of NSW Sydney & AGI Ideas Melbourne Australia
  • 2002: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Zurich/Pontresina, Switzerland
  • 2003: Typo3 Johannesburg SA
  • 2004: London College of Communication 23/6/04
  • 2004: Forum Laus, Barcelona May 2004
  • 2005: AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), Berlin

Guest lectures / Workshops

  • 1999-2000: Hereford - College of Art
  • 2000: Rotterdam - Willem de Kooning Academie
  • 2002: Copenhagen - I T University
  • 2004: D&AD Workout
  • 2004: University of Delaware
  • 2015: Workshop, Tipoteca, Italy Books on Alan Kitching or featuring work
  • 1966: ‘Frontiers of Printmaking’, Michael Rothenstein, Library of Congress 66-24551
  • 1974 Printed in Watford, Watford School of Art, Herts.
  • 1993: The Sixties, David Mellor[4]
  • 1994: D&AD Annual
  • 1995: D&AD Annual
  • 1996 D&AD Annual
  • 1996: ‘G1 subj: contemp, design, graphic,[5]
  • 1996: ‘A Double Life of 80 AGI designers .....’ Armando Milani/Burgo
  • 1997 ‘First Choice’, Ken Cato, ISBN[6]
  • 1999: Royal Mail Millennium Stamps
  • 1999: New Design: London, The Edge of Graphic Design, Ed. E.M.Gomez, Rockport, USA, ISBN 1-56496-562-7 D&AD Annual
  • 2001: Master of the 20th Century, Ed. Mervyn Kurlansky/Icograda, Graphis, New York ISBN 1-888001-85-2
  • 2000: Anthony Froshaug: Typography & Texts (2 vols), Robin Kinross ISBN 0-907259-13-8
  • 2002: Helvetica – Homage to a Typeface, Lars Müller, Switzerland ISBN 3-907044-87-8
  • 2003: Creative Island, John Sorrell, Lawrence King, ISBN 1-85669-305-8
  • 2002: The Graphics Book, D&AD, Rotovision, ISBN 2-88046-550-8
  • 2003: The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers[7]
  • 2015: A-Z in Letterpress, Laurence King, London, ISBN 9781780674810
  • 2016: A Life in Letterpress, Laurence King, London[8][9]

Bibliography

1970: ‘Typography Manual’, School of Art, Watford College of Technology

2016. 'A life in Letterpress, Laurence King, London.

References

  1. ↑ Pires, Candice (2016-04-02). "A-Z living: an inside look at typographer Alan Kitching's home". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  2. ↑ ""I always try to have some logic to the job, to the work": we interview letterpress legend Alan Kitching". It’s Nice That. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  3. ↑ "Alan Kitching on Press at The Guardian | Newspaper Club". blog.newspaperclub.com. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  4. ↑ Mellor, David (1993). The sixties art scene in London. Phaidon Press. ISBN 0946372292.
  5. ↑ Blackwell and Brody, Lewis and Nevill (1996). G1: Subj.; Contemp.Design, Graphic (Graphic Design). Massive books. ISBN 9781856690928.
  6. ↑ Cato, Ken (1997). First Choice. Crafstman House. ISBN 976-6410-55-0.
  7. ↑ Livingtson, Alan (2003). Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0500203539.
  8. ↑ Waters and Kitching, John L and Alan (2016). A life in letterpress. Lawrence King. ISBN 978-1780674810.
  9. ↑ Sinclair, Mark (22 April 2016). "Alan Kitching a life in Letterpress". Creative Review. Creative Review. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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