Interview to Etaoin Shrdlu Studio

How was your studio founded, and what choices have shaped its structure and the way you work today?

Etaoin Shrdlu is a nonsensical phrase and a typographical error. It is also the title of a short story by Fredric Brown (Unknown Worlds, February 1942, Vol 5, No. 5) in which an old Linotype machine begins to learn and become sentient. Our design approach is an attempt to combine experimentation with formal rigour. We are an independent studio, which allows us to dedicate a lot of time to research. In our opinion, design is a methodology that provides us an opportunity to explore how to read the value system of the contemporary world.

Poster for Marina Caneve. Are They Rocks or Clouds? exhibition, Italian Cultural Institute, Bucharest, 2023.
Curated by Alessandro Dandini de Sylva

Type design plays a fundamental role in your practice. How does it fit into your creative process, and how does it influence the final outcome of a project?

It is complementary. Typography is one of the fundamental elements of graphic design—it is what gives a visual form to human language. The alphabet is meaningless if the reader cannot decode its signs, and when we read a book, we are not actually observing the text—it is fascinating. As designers, we have the task of providing the reader with tools to interpret and understand a text on multiple levels. Working with typographic composition allows us to navigate the boundary between image and text, respect the rules, and understand where to break them to bring out the most meaningful aspects of the project. In some cases, type design enables us to add meaning and layer content through an approach that can be informal, metaphorical, narrative, or material. Designing a typeface like Roma Neue (CAST Type Foundry, 2023) is something altogether different.

Is there a common thread linking your editorial work and exhibition design? Do the same design dynamics apply to both fields?

We came to exhibition design in a natural way, after working on visual identities for exhibitions. Initially, we were interested in three-dimensional displays capable of housing graphic design projects, aiming to enhance their expressiveness. Later, we explored the space of the page and the exhibition space (Page, Typography, Space for Through the Book(s) #6, Leporello, Rome, 2019), analyzing the similarities and differences between these two media, their tendencies toward permanence and temporariness, and eventually working on projects that fostered a dialogue between the two disciplines. Within this small field of research, among other works, we designed both the book (Witty Books, 2024) and the exhibition (Matèria, Rome, 2021) for Fabio Barile. Works for a Cosmic Feeling.

Etaoin Shrdlu Studio, The Pinocchio paradox, poster for Carissimo Pinocchio exhibition, ADI Design Museum, Milan, 2023.
Curated by Giulio Iacchetti

Working as a duo requires a balance between collaboration and individual perspectives. How do your differences shape your creative process and projects?

Our personalities are quite different, but being a duo is a conscious choice that forces us into constant dialogue, clearing the way for a hybridization of our projects—like a cadavre exquis where each of us adds a piece that does not necessarily have to be aligned with the previous one.

How does the cultural context around you influence your stylistic choices and the projects you work on? Besides commissioned work, do you develop independent projects that reflect these influences?

Rome is a metropolis capable of evoking both fascination and fear. It has an enormous cultural substrate that often remains in an embryonic state or, alternatively, is immediately consecrated and then rejected. At the same time, it is a city where many interesting things can happen, and it can completely absorb you. It is crucial to decide how much to let context permeate our work. We always try to leave enough space for autonomy, where we can channel our influences and reflect on what we do. We collaborate with curators, architects, artists, designers, and photographers, and the exchange with other professionals is often stimulating—these relationships can be very enriching, even on a personal level. The cultural context that perhaps influences our design choices the most is our library. The studio represents a significant part of our daily lives, and it is the primary hybrid space where we bring together many of our obsessions. It is here that we develop personal projects, not all of which take on a final form. However, we also look far beyond our immediate surroundings.

A Story for The Future. MAXXI's First Decade, MAXXI – Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Rome, 2021.
Curated by Hou Hanru with MAXXI curatorial and research team © Photo Agostino Osio Courtesy MAXXI

How do you see the world of design education in Italy?

The range of educational opportunities is vast, with both small and large schools in both small and large cities. Perhaps the biggest challenge today lies in choosing the right academic path. Many professionals work and teach simultaneously, which helps keep education relevant to contemporary practice. However, as lecturers, we have noticed a trend that we do not agree with: students are often expected to be highly performative. Even the most theoretical courses frequently require a project. But not everything needs an immediate output—there is time for that, and there is work.

How do you see the role of young graphic designers in Italy?

A challenge. Among design-related professions, the role of the graphic designer in Italy is still undervalued. Yet, graphic designers construct narratives that operate on multiple levels of reading, making their role highly complex.

Fabio Barile. Works for a Cosmic Feeling, Witty Books, 2024

What advice would you give to a young graphic designer entering the job market today in Italy?

It is difficult to give a single piece of advice, as experiences can vary greatly. Developing a personal methodology is important—finding a style, a bit less so.

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