Paul Wright

Writer / Pamphleteer / Avant-gardist typographer Paul is a design writer living in Brussels and London. In March 2009 Paul started working as out-of-phase as a practice based catch-all name to house all his commercial and avant-garde investigations into ritualistics of language – spoken, printed or other. This also includes critical writing about design – related to art, graphics and built environment.

Working to commission and open submission Paul's work can be seen in magazines like HESA Inprint (Helsinki), Critical Writing Collective (Sheffield), Stimulus Respond (Goldsmiths, London), Nozine (London) and Assembly Projects (London). When he writes Paul works within and around the discipline of visual art, graphic design and printing.

Curators and editors-in-chief publishing the work have noted it for possessing an 'originality of idea', 'fresh perspective' and 'acid-spirit' in equal measure. He is a former graphic designer and as a designer educator specialises in typographic history and contemporary practice.

In practice the writing is varied and can be categorised into long-form articles, design criticism, pamphlet editions and visual skits.

Why I chose this course?

... because I believe there is more to the visual tinnitus and muted din - just 2 of the defining terrains that pervade my daily routine.

What I’ve learnt so far?

Everyone I know uses analogies as commentary or explanation. These materialities of ideas tell us more than at first glance. Through a study of the many semblances, analogy can focus Design Writing Criticism as a research tool. As a device it re-casts meanings and contexts. Artifacts and institutions are re-viewed, the less obvious is re-discovered and the more iterative re-categorised.

The presentness of image and text breaks under convention; the imaged and textualised, a history disrupted by vogues; the emerging of a new, a re-imag[in]ed and re-[con]textualised. These meanings and contexts are more than just comments or explanations - it is a space where images are unveiled and the textual unfolded.