Last Stop; Last Word

Speaking of elegance at an advancing age, the aptly-named larger-than-life MASSIMO Vignelli was the the most theatrical, confident, and riveting presence at an an all-star AIGA/NY event called Navigating the Labyrinth. Organized by Paul Shaw with invaluable collaboration from Abby Goldstein, the panel consisted of maestro Vignelli, Michael Hertz, Peter Joseph, Doris Halle, Jan Conradi, Tom Geismar, and Lance Wyman.

There's already been much ink and ether about the NYC subway system, standards, Standard (the typeface), Helvetica (the comeback-star typeface), and past, present and future signage (all of it fascinating). For me, there are three things from the eve that are most memorable:

1. The subway signs on narrow columns. The wacky hyphenation had most of us in the audience tittering and reaching for our iPhones and digital cameras. Talk about a niche audience!

2. The subway signage was changed from black type on a white background to white type reversing out of a black background because of dirt and steel dust. Steel dust! Keeping the signage pristine was a job too big for any urban Mr Cleans.

3. After the main discussion—and slams at the sign shop described as "medieval" by design all-stars, a man who'd been rocking and fidgeting in his seat throughout the panel discussion a few rows ahead of me bolted up and said he was the man at the MTA responsible for all the signs. Introducing himself (and his much of his staff, who also attended the event), John Montemarano said his shop followed graphic standards but occasionally adjusted them just a little when they felt they had to do so. Mr. Montemarano also pointed out what most intrigued me: Massimo Vignelli is from the North of Italy. John Montemarano's family is from the South. So, the discussion became a lively game of opposites: North vs. South. Planner vs. Artisan/Fabricator. As goes life, so goes design. There are opposites to reconcile. Design co-existing with production; ideal colliding with real.

For me, the last word comes from Paul Shaw in a response to my congratulatory email:

"I prefer Standard (Akzidenz Grotesk) to Helvetica (and Massimo vice versa)but both are really acceptable for a sign system as long as the rest of the system is done well. Some of the horrible signs the sign shop made in the past are fine because they work within the Unimark system. Those that are not fine are the ones that ignore the system."

Systems—subway or signage—exist for a good reason.