Dr Christopher Burke
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Principal Research Fellow
Research and doctoral supervision
Office
Room F10, Typography & Graphic CommunicationBuilding location
Whiteknights campus (Building 21, TOB2)Areas of interest
My areas of interest focus mainly on the history of typography and graphic design in the twentieth century. I am interested in examining the development of modernism in typography, and reflecting on its connections to other aspects of modern culture. These themes can be traced in the books I have written: about two pioneers of German New Typography, Paul Renner and Jan Tschichold, and about typeface designer Gerard Unger. The last of these also deals with the technological revolution in type and typography during the twentieth century, and it intrigues me that this did not always entail ‘modern’ style but often resulted in revival and traditionalism. This continues a tendency that dates back to the invention of printing.
Currently, my research centres on the picture language of Isotype – its origins in Vienna of the 1920s and its adaptation to a British context. This is a story of the exile of modernism from Central Europe and its subsequent accommodation to English-speaking culture. Due to the manifold interests of Isotype’s creators (in particular Otto Neurath), this research provides many connections with other disciplines that enrich the study of graphic design. A book I co-wrote with Wim Jansen, Soft propaganda, special relationships, and a new democracy (2022) deals with the work of the Isotype Institute for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War.
Research projects
History and legacy of Isotype. Since 2019 I have been Research Fellow on the project ‘Isotype: origin, development, and legacy’, supported by the Austrian Science Fund, and directed by Günther Sandner at the University of Vienna. In addition to scholarly articles and conference presentations, we are writing a book entitled History and legacy of Isotype, projected for publication in 2023. Based on original, archival research, it will address aspects of Isotype history that were not specifically addressed in the book that I previously co-edited and co-wrote, Isotype: design and contexts 1925–1971 (2013).
Otto Neurath in Britain. Together with Ádám Tamas Tuboly, I am co-writing a study of Otto Neurath’s years in Britain, 1940–5. Despite the brevity of this period, Neurath was extraordinarily active in many fields – philosophy, economics, planning, and not least information design with Isotype. Drawing on correspondence and other material from various archives, including the Otto and Marie Isotype Collection at the University of Reading, we aim to give a lively picture of this engaging polymath, whose thinking was ahead of its time in many respects.
Websites/blogs
Hibernia TypePublications
- Burke, C. and Jansen, W. (2022) Soft propaganda, special relationships, and a new democracy: Adprint and Isotype, 1942–1948. De Buitenkant , Amsterdam. pp 208. ISBN: 9789076452005
- Burke, C. and Sandner, G. (2022) Marie Reidemeister and Otto Neurath: interwoven lives and work. The European Journal of Life Writing , 11 pp. 103-129. ISSN: 2211-243X | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.21827/ejlw.11.38787
- Burke, C. (2021) Von der Wiener methode der bildstatistik zu isotype. In: Waldner, G. , (eds.) Die Konturen der Welt: Geschichte und Gegenwart visueller Bildung nach Otto Neurath. Mandelbaum Verlag , Vienna. pp. 35-49. ISBN: 9783854769668
- Burke, C. (2021) Caractères hybrides allemands 1900–14. In: Knebusch, J. , (eds.) Gotico-Antiqua, proto-roman, hybrid: caractères du XVe siècle entre gothique et romain. Atelier National de Recherche Typographique [ANRT], ENSAD / Poem , Nancy, France. pp. 166-179. ISBN: 9782378962265
- Burke, C. (2021) German hybrid typefaces 1900–14. In: Knebusch, J. , (eds.) Gotico-Antiqua, proto-roman, hybrid: 15th-century types between gothic and roman. Atelier National de Recherche Typographique [ANRT], ENSAD / Poem , Nancy / Frankfurt am Main. pp. 161-174. ISBN: 9782378962265
- Burke, C. (2021) Gerard Unger: life in letters. De Buitenkant , Amsterdam. pp 336. ISBN: 9789083052106
- Burke, C. (2019) Vorwort. In: Jacobs, S. and Rössler, P. , (eds.) Jan Tschichold - ein Jahrhunderttypograf?: Blicke in den Nachlass. Wallstein Verlag , Göttingen. pp. 23-25. ISBN: 9783835334700
- Burke, C. (2019) The mysterious case of the curtailed g: Danish style in type. Perpensa Press , Devizes. pp 40. ISBN: 9781916053908
- Burke, C. (2017) Gerd Arntz. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 256-262. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) Otto Neurath and the Vienna Method of Pictorial Statistics (Isotype). In: Esiele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 252-255. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) Munich as a centre for typography 1926–1933. In: Eiesle, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 201-205. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) Jan Tschichold and Futura. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 206-209. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) How did Futura get to the Moon?. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 351-365. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) Crisis, 1933 – the politicization of Futura. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura: the typeface. Laurence King , London. pp. 226-235. ISBN: 9781786270931
- Burke, C. (2017) Modernism and traditionalism: points of convergence in European typography, 1925–1950. Counter-Signals 2: Hieroglyphs of the anti-commodity. Counter-Signals Counter-Signals (2). pp. 150-161. ISBN: 9780998170800
- Burke, C. (2017) Formal writing, artist typefaces, and bread-and-butter type (part 2). Forum (33). pp. 7-10. ISSN: 1472-0604
- Burke, C. (2016) Wie kam die Futura auf dem Mond?. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 350-365. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) Gerd Arntz. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 256-260. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) Otto Neurath und die Wiener Methode der Bildstatistik. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 252-255. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) Krise 1933 – Politisierung der Futura. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 226-235. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) Jan Tschichold und Futura. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 206-209. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) München als typografisches Zentrum. In: Eisele, P. , Ludwig, A. , Naegele, I. , (eds.) Futura. Die Schrift.. Verlag Hermann Schmidt , Mainz. pp. 201-205. ISBN: 9783874398930
- Burke, C. (2016) Formal writing, artist typefaces, and bread-and-butter type (part 1). Forum (32). pp. 8-13. ISSN: 1472-0604
- Burke, C. and Holter, M. (2014) Timeless signs: Otto Neurath and reflections in Austrian contemporary art.
- Slinn, J. , Carter, S. , Southall, R. , eds. (2014) History of the Monotype Corporation. Printing Historical Society / Vanbrugh Press , London / Woodstock. pp 432. ISBN: 9780993051005 (Edited by Boag, A. and Burke, C.)
- Burke, C. (2013) The “Wiener Methode der Bildstatistik” (ISOTYPE): between art and design. In: Holter, M. , Höller, B. , Wien, K. , (eds.) Zeit(lose) Zeichen / Timeless signs: contemporary art in reference to Otto Neurath. Kerber , Vienna. pp. 23-29. ISBN: 9783866787926
- Burke, C. (2013) Pictogram design: Vienna and beyond. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 498-521. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2013) The Isotype Institute, Oxford: war, welfare, and post-war reconstruction, 1941–8. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 354-365. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2013) Interlude in the Netherlands, 1934–40. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 282-296. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2013) The Gesellschafts- und Wirtschaftsmuseum in Wien (Social and Economic Museum of Vienna), 1925–34. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 20-106. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2013) The atlas Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft (society and economy), 1930. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 186-215. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2013) Animated Isotype on film, 1941–7. In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 366-389. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , eds. (2013) Isotype: design and contexts 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp 554. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Burke, C. (2011) The linguistic status of Isotype. Image and Imaging in Philosophy, Science, and the Arts. , 2. Ontos , Heusenstamm. pp. 31-58. ISBN: 9783868381160
- Burke, C. and Eve, M. , eds. (2010) From hieroglyphics to Isotype: a visual autobiography (Otto Neurath). Hyphen Press , London. pp 224. ISBN: 9780907259442
- Burke, C. (2010) Back to basics: Otto Neurath and Isotype. Cambridge Literary Review , 1 (3). pp. 221-235. ISSN: 2042-129x
- Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. (2010) Isotype: international picture language. Victoria & Albert Museum
- Burke, C. (2009) Isotype: representing social facts pictorially. Information Design Journal , 17 (3). pp. 211-223. ISSN: 0142-5471 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1075/idj.17.3.06bur
- Burke, C. (2007) Active literature: Jan Tschichold and New Typography. Hyphen Press , London. pp 336. ISBN: 9780907259329
- Burke, C. and Kinross, R. (2000) The dispute between Max Bill and Jan Tschichold of 1946, with a later contribution by Paul Renner. In: Kinross, R. and Walker, S. , (eds.) Typography papers, 4. Department of Typography & Graphic Communication , Reading. pp. 57-90. ISBN: 0-7049-1124-8
- Burke, C. (1998) German hybrid typefaces 1900–1914. In: Shaw, P. and Bain, P. , (eds.) Blackletter: type and national identity. Cooper Union , New York. pp. 32-39. ISBN: 1-56898-125-2
- Burke, C. and Walker, S. , eds. (1998) Typography papers, 3. Typography papers , 3. Department of Typography & Graphic Communication , Reading. pp 148. ISBN: 0-7049-1123-x
- Burke, C. (1998) Paul Renner: the art of typography. Hyphen Press , London. pp 224. ISBN: 0-907259-12-X
- Burke, C. (1997) Luxury and Austerity: Willy Wiegand and the Bremer Presse. In: Stiff, P. , (eds.) Typography papers, 2. Department of Typography & Graphic Communication , Reading. pp. 105-128. ISBN: 0-7049-1122-1
- Burke, C. (1997) The early years 1900–1922. The Monotype Recorder , New Series (10). pp. 4-13.
- Burke, C. (1992) Peter Behrens and the German Letter: type design and architectural lettering. Journal of Design History , 5 (1). pp. 19-37. ISSN: 1741-7279