The Master class “European Script & Typography” will be held over two days, at the Higher School of Art and Design of Amiens. Students from the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences and Esad Amiens will be invited to share their work, discuss the underlying issues, discuss the methodologies used as well as the achievements and learning outcome. 

November 13 & 14, 2023
Organised by Eva Kubinyi & Simon Renaud

The subject of the Master class is deeply rooted in European history, and allows us to question Franco-German links. It was from Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) that Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus or Karl der Große) gave impetus to the reform of writing around 780 from which our contemporary writing stems. The Carolingian minuscule, also called Carolina, emerged in the wake of Charlemagne’s desire to develop and disseminate a script that would be easy to decipher and write throughout his empire. This writing model thus accompanied the extension and affirmation of the Carolingian Empire, the prefiguration of contemporary Europe. The script made exchanges more fluid by replacing the multiple regional writing models, which did not foster communication between territories. And it was not far from the city of Amiens, in the scriptorium of Corbie Abbey, that this new script was developed. What could be more natural than to link the art and design schools of these two cities in a project that questions the role and form of writing today? This Master class will address the role of handwriting and its place in graphic design and contemporary typeface design. The links between trace, tool and support will be analyzed, the semantic dimensions will be discussed, as well as the regional differences between in handwriting. Finally, contemporary character design projects will be presented. 

All students in Master graphic design at Esad Amiens are invited to follow the exchanges of the first day (Monday 13/11). A convivial lunch is planned. The 2nd day is for the 12 students of the Master class (Tuesday 14/11). We are pleased to welcome 8 students from Aachen.