Wolfgang Weingart

Wolfgang died a month ago. Until the end, he took part in world events, both large and small. On a smaller scale, he contributed with his mastery of typography, his great passion. Like no other, he shook the discipline awake and freed it from the shackles of modernism – all the while insisting on everlasting principles in the use of type.

I enjoyed the good fortune of his friendship, his benevolence, and his merciless but always encouraging criticism. For several years we worked together on his magnum opus, Wege zur Typographie/ My Way to Typography  (2000/2014). The book is Weingart’s testament. He leaves us his exemplary design and the call to creatively develop the discipline of typography while not losing sight of language and communicative intent.

With this spirit and his unwavering attitude, Weingart has inspired countless designers. He thus joins the gallery of great innovators of (Swiss) typography, alongside Moholy-Nagy, Tschichold, Ruder, and Müller-Brockmann.

Thank you, Wolfgang.

Lars