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Since there have been countless reinterpretations and variants of Times New Roman, J-LTF set out to develop a typeface derived from it as well.
Belligerent Times was initiated by an interest in the word “Times” itself—the word contained within the name Times New Roman.
The typeface was originally commissioned in 1931 by The Times of London* and developed by typographer Stanley Morison in collaboration with draftsman Victor Lardent. Because the newspaper's previous typeface was often referred to informally as “Times Old Roman,” the new design came to be known as Times New Roman.
The name Times originally comes from the British newspaper The Daily Universal Register, founded in 1785, which changed its name to The Times in 1788. Since then, the title has inspired and lent its name to newspapers around the world.
The word time derives from an older meaning related to occurrence or happening. In this sense, times can be understood as “that which has happened” or “the events of the day,” making it a fitting title for a newspaper devoted to reporting current affairs.
Belligerent Times builds upon this lineage. Rather than referring simply to a typeface derived from Times New Roman, it invokes the notion of the times we live in—the social, political, and historical conditions of the present moment.
Rather than approaching Times New Roman solely as a typographic form, Belligerent Times begins with its name. It reflects on the notion of “times” as historical moments, social conditions, and political circumstances, transforming a familiar typographic reference into a contemporary statement.
JL BELLIGERENT TIMES
It started at a conference
on
the speed of light
and Hiroshima.
The physics professor
from the University of Nice explained
that
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
the dead bodies had left
a
a lasting
a lasting shadow
a lasting shadow and
a lasting shadow and were
a lasting shadow and were built
a lasting shadow and were built into
a lasting shadow and were built into the
a lasting shadow and were built into the city
a lasting shadow and were built into the city walls.
And suddenly
I realised that
I should be trying to recreate something like that
in my work
with images.
Yes,
that’s what
I should be doing.
Text Excerpted from My Mother Laughs
Written by Chantal Akerman
I between EYE, and LIGHT
EYE, between LIGHT and I
LIGHT between I, and EYE
between EYE, LIGHT and I
Of course I stole the title for this talk, from George Orwell.
One reason I stole it was that I like the sound of the words: Why I Write.
There you have three short unambiguous words that share a sound, and the sound they share is this:
I
I
I
Text Excerpted from Why I Writhe
Written by Joan Didion
