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| 03 |---IDEA #270-->-->> August 1998. --------------------------------------------------------------- From Japan. For Carlos Segura, there is no border between fine art and graphic design. He spent his childhood in Miami, where he moved from his native Cuba in 1965. He then played drums for a local band and was also involved in designing their fliers. This experience led to a job with the Blackburn agency in New Orleans. The next years as an art director led from one dissatisfaction to another, with short stints at Chicago agencies such as Marsteller, Foote Cone & Belding, Young & Rubicam, Ketchum and Bayer Bees Vanderwarker. At that time, the Japanese graphic scene seemed very attractive, and in 1991 Segura made the decision to quit Bayer Bess Vanderwarker and move to Tokyo, yet this plan did not materialize. Instead it resulted in his setting up his own company, Segura Inc., in Chicago. The goal of Segura Inc. is to combine fine art into commercial art. His motto is "communication that doesn't take a chance, doesn't stand a chance." His graphic approach involves intellectual messages for the general consumer instead of talking down to them. No ambiguous fairy tale type of communication, but precise concepts honestly dealing with the fact. In his expression, many different kinds of techniques are used; fine arts, illustrations, painting, silk screens, letter press, and etching - an exploration of the arts. Art is brought out from deep within the heart, and one must be choosy about taking projects. Carlos Segura purposely restrains from expanding his organization in order to continuously produce superior work, and he handles his type foundry [T-26] with the same attitude. [T-26] was set up in the autumn of 1994 by Segura and Scott Smith. It served to trigger doubts and changes within the type industry. Segura himself did not originally intend to open his own type foundry; the opportunity came along by accident. But considering how Segura deals with typography as a kind of body-language on canvas, the decision to distribute his own fonts, a most natural and effective way of showing his creativity, was inevitable. The company now handles more than 400 fonts created by 140 muti-national designers, and new submissions by fax and e-mail to [T-26] are received daily from around the world. Everyone has his own taste, and Segura believes type design offers a world of free expression. Each [T-26] supplement tries to offer as many fonts as possible in order to respect individual creativity. The elaborately embellished [T-26] supplement is offered four times a year and features newly released fonts reflecting the trend of the times. When you look back at them, they seem like time capsules. Previous fonts (looking quite old-fashioned and rarely used) are occasionally deleted from [T-26]'s list, a policy not observed in other foundries. Until several years ago, the mainstream of [T-26]'s type design were made up of grunge and organic, decadent type, but recently, experimental expressions are gradually making way for clean and simple type, suggesting a return to the basics. This tendency reflects a futuristic idea, as we move toward the end of the century and the new era. This trend is apparent not only in graphics, but fashion, interior and industrial design as well. [T-26]'s web site (www.T26FONT.com) with intriguing visuals, user friendly interfaces, and good accessibilty is becoming more and more popular worldwide. All of the main fonts are classified by name, designer, kit or style, and can easily be retrieved on screen. You can also download the font directly into your own computer. The CD-ROM that comes with the supplement includes quick movies, mainly directed by Segura, for each individual typeface. The exciting combination of type and sound will definitely become the new method for font promotion. As [T-26] continues efforts as a fashionable type foundry, experimentation into music has led to the creation of the Thickface record label. [T-26] is also active in social issues by supporting AIDS charities. Carlos Segura and [T-26] constantly offer stimulating expression, and will continue to receive more attention in the future.  >> return to "articles" section :-) SEGURA INC. 1110 North Milwaukee Avenue. Chicago, Illinois 60622-4017. (t) 773.862.5667 (f) 773.862.1214 (e) info@segura-inc.com |
