IMPERFECTION
by Agnieszka Ziemiszewska (Poland)
“Searching and collecting led to identifying and recording, and, for me, that was the foundation for research and everything else became elaboration”
Rob Roy Kelly, Search & Research
The IMPERFECTION project was born out of a fascination with the traces left behind by time and human touch. It is based on an exploration of the Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection – a working archive of historic wooden printing types that bears witness to the evolution of American typography, shifts in visual identity, and changing forms of communication over the course of the nineteenth century. While Kelly sought to understand the history of typography through these objects, IMPERFECTION focuses on how that history remains tangible in their physical form. The preserved letterforms reveal not only the aesthetics of past eras but also the memory of craftsmanship and the work of human hands.
In an era where the pursuit of perfection has become the norm, IMPERFECTION invites us to look more closely at what we usually try to correct, conceal, or erase. It reveals the beauty of imperfection and reminds us that our individual characteristics, experiences, and the traces we leave behind are what shape our identities and make us unique.
Every piece of wooden type is different, just as every impression made from it is unique. Over the years, the letters have worn down, cracked, and become distorted through use. The resulting irregularities and signs of wear have given each one its own distinct character. What might initially appear to be a flaw becomes a testament to its past, creating a unique visual language of forms and textures.
IMPERFECTION encourages us (me) to reflect on whether beauty must truly mean perfection. Every alteration, every worn surface, and every trace of human craftsmanship becomes part of the identity of these letters, making their history visible. Imperfection is more than a characteristic of form – it is history made visible.