Type@Cooper Display Type, Summer 2020
Béshí
by Leo Vicenti
Béshí is a revival of Oldrich Menhart’s copyrighted typeface, Parlament (1950-1951). My goal in this project was to offer language support for my indigenous Jicarilla Apache language. Inspiration for this project was taken from Menhart’s unique style and use of diacritics.
My research entailed looking through multiple historical resources, utilizing comparative texts, searching for clues in social media and lots of drawing and printing.
Leo Vicenti
Leo Vicenti (Jicarilla Apache) holds an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) where his research in visual communication design explores the relationships between indigenous languages and design. His current research approaches indigenous language preservation, revitalization, and the return of these languages to everyday use through the development of language support in typography and representation in the design field.
