Overview
Joseph Churchward is a Samoan-born graphic designer whose typefaces (fonts) are used the world over. Since the 1960s, he has handcrafted over 570 original typefaces – more than any other individual.
His fonts feature on billboards, record sleeves, newspapers, and in digital media. One is used for the title of Te Papa’s exhibition Tangata o le Moana: The story of Pacific people in New Zealand. Although not his own font, Churchward’s hand-lettering skills were also used in the creation of opticians’ eye charts.
Through pencil sketches, print negatives, photographs, and newspaper clippings, this exhibition brings the intricacies of Churchward’s art into view for the first time.
Ko Hohepa Churchward he kaihoahoa whakairoiro nō Hāmoa nāna nei ngā momotuhi kei te whakamahia e te ao whānui. Mai i ngā tau 1960 ka waihanga-ā-ringatia e ia neke atu i te 570 momotuhi taketake – he nui atu tērā i tētahi atu kaihoahoa.
Kei runga ana momotuhi i ngā papa pānui, i ngā uhi o ngā kōpae pūoro, i ngā niupepa, me ngā rawa ā-mati. Kei te whakamahia tētahi mō te whakaupoko o tā Te Papa whakaaturanga Tangata o le Moana: The story of Pacific People in New Zealand. Ahakoa ehara i a ia ngā momotuhi, ko ana pūkenga waihanga momotuhi ka whakamahia mō ngā tūtohi karu e ngā kaimatai karu.
Mā ngā mahi toi pēnei i ngā tuhi haehae ā-pene rākau, mā ngā hāraunga kōataata, mā ngā whakaahua, me ngā tapahanga niupepa, ka whakaatu tēnei whakaaturanga i ngā manganga rauiti o ngā toi o Churchward hei mātakitakitanga tuatahinga ma te tangata.
(Text taken from the Exhibition of the same name, Ilott Gallery, Te Papa, 21 August 2008 - 16 February 2009)