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A map indicating where all of the looted artifacts are at the moment and showcasing where these artifacts’ home countries are.
// The Challenge
ISTD requires in depth research, understanding and a variety of testing of possible formats, materials and production processes within a project and demands the use of typographic skills to ensure optimal accuracy, legibility and readability. The requirement to produce a set of specifications is intended to promote a depth of engagement with the craft of typography and to support an understanding of the technical aspects of the execution of the project. The migration brief is chosen because it envisages opportunities to draw upon references to different interpretations of what migration is and how it can be utilised into something innovative. With this in mind, my research led to looking for events occurring in Africa where possible migration takes place. I focused on the idea of artifacts being moved from one place to another and was drawn to material cultural history; specifically Africa’s material cultural history.
// The Problem
The problem is that African artifacts are being sold off and widely distributed by European and British museums to other museums and international private collectors incited by the current world pandemic and economic disaster. This act is seen as extremely unethical as these African artifacts should be returned to their place of origin as cultural appropriation actively takes place and the African identity gets lost.
// The Solution
The plan is to create and extract an emotional reaction from people supporting and visiting African museums by personifying Africa’s missing artifacts as if they were people. The artifacts need to migrate safely back to their country of birth before being sold and kidnapped by other international societies causing further cultural ethical problems.
The word ARTIFICE means to not be truthful. It can be seen as clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others.
This is exactly what Europe did to Africa; deceived and dishonoured the culture for who and what Africa is and truly represents.
// The execution
Artifice is an initiative by The Johannesburg Art Gallery consisting on creating a collection of typefaces based on the looted artifacts of Africa. The idea behind these typefaces is for people and creative agencies to use them in their announcements in order to create awareness for Africa’s looted artifacts. These typefaces are completely free to download, as long as you are willing to sign a petition and pledge to be part of the Artifice Initiative with #FRIENDSOFJAG to help our artifacts migrate back home safely.
Ads, posters, packaging, websites or any messages on social networks, use fonts whose rights someone has paid for. Artifice handpicked a few from thousands of stolen African Artifacts that are now trapped in Europe and developed a typeface for each of these artifacts, as if the artifact personally owned the rights to that specific typeface. Artifice did this by making use of well known typefaces developed mostly by Western designers and making it true to our own African aesthetic. Each glyph is specially inspired by the unique attributes of the artifact, contributing to the artifact’s personality and personal demographics.
The campaign will kick off on World Heritage Day. This day is celebrated every year on 18 April to preserve the human heritage and to recognise all the efforts of relevant organisations. With this in mind, people tend to visit museums, galleries and historical sites as part of a celebration of their culture and heritage. The Johannesburg Art Gallery will be hosting a special heritage exhibition upon this day where African art and historical artifacts will be showcased. What the visitors don’t know is that the whole gallery is going to be empty. The only items that will be portrayed within the gallery are posters ‘sent’ from the looted artifacts all the way from Europe, stating their urgent need to migrate back home.
The posters will serve as the link between the public and the digital platform, the website. The public will be encouraged to go to the campaign’s website to learn more about the situation and what the movement is all about. Every time a typeface is downloaded, 1 more pledge is contributed to the #bringafricahome petition. The aim for the campaign is to raise 1 million votes which will voice to Europe that OUR artifacts need to migrate home. For further encouragement for the public to pledge, a monthly competition will be digitally held when people download a typeface and pledge. A lucky drawer will win vouchers to upcoming JAG events.
The event ticket is the very first interaction between the host (The Johannesburg Art Gallery), the initiative (Artifice) and the public.
It is a digital ticket stating the event details as well as the initiative’s website that should be visited.
The posters serve as the main attention grabbers and furthermore encourages the public to want to be part of the initiative. The posters speak on behalf of the looted African artifacts which are ‘speaking’ and ‘pleading’ to the public to take note and help. The posters' next purpose is to lead the public to the digital platform, the website, where the viewers can download the typefaces and pledge to the initiative.
The website will be an interactive scroll-down site. When the visitor scans his or her ticket or simply just goes to www.bringafricahome.co.za, it will take the participant to the landing page of the site. From there, the viewer is shown to scroll-down and essentially learn more about the Artifice Initiative and what it has to offer for the viewer. The website will automatically show the reader where he or she can click in order to ensure them the full experience of what the initiative is undertaking.
Ten Artifacts are chosen to represent the looted African African artifacts. Each artifact has its own free downloadable unique typeface specially designed according to that artifact’s attributes and features. The profiles are giving more information about the artifacts history and demographics. Active buttons will be on each artifact’s profile that will lead the viewer to a map to showcase the migration distance between the artifact’s homeland and current location.
The map serves as a visual trigger in order to make the public realise the reason why the artifacts are longing for their homeland. It also shows and educates the viewer about the history of each artifact, making every artifact significant like a human being longing to return home.
The pledge is the final destination on the website. This is where the public needs to click in order to be able to download the typefaces and ultimately contribute to the aiming 1 million pledges for the #bringafricahome initiative.
When clicked on one of the 10 artifacts, the page will lead the viewer to the personalised profile of the artifact. Here the viewer can read about the history and origin of the artifact as well as its plead for going home. The specially designed typeface of that artifact is portrayed where the viewer has the option to explore how the font would look like in a sentence when clicked on ‘DEMO’
The viewer has the option to type a sentence in order to determine if he or she would like to download the typeface or not
Example of a sentence typed out in that specific typeface
When hovering over either the current location icon of the artifact or the typed out location of the homeland, it will take the viewer to that artifact’s personal map.
Here the viewer can click and learn more about the two different locations of the artifact, making the viewer as involved and informed as possible.
The last step of the campaign is to reach more and more people every day in order to raise and create awareness as broad as possible. The initiative’s page will be active daily, giving the viewers content to think about and share with each other. Monthly competitions will also be held by #FRIENDSOFJAG in order to keep interactivity and attention. If the aimed amount of pledges are reached, the campaign will release a new set of typefaces with 10 more artifacts. The Artifice Initiative will be kept active until changes are made and the artifacts are being migrated back home safely.
