Professor Eric Kindel
In addition to my role as Head of Department:
- I teach studio-based design practice and lecture on topics across the undergraduate programme
- Supervise BA and MA dissertations, and supervise research students
- I also serve as Department Director of Studies for Postgraduate (Research) Students
- Curator of the Otto and Marie Neurath Isotype Collection
Areas of interest
My research takes in several areas of interest: the graphic design of information, with an emphasis on aspects of Isotype; informal and alternative print methods, with a specialism in the history of stencils and stencilling; and the inventive intersection of design and print production.
Graphic information
Between 2007 and 2011, I served as Principal Investigator for the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded project Isotype Revisited,
Research in this area is presently focused on Isotype contributions to British publishing in the context of postwar reconstruction and economic development, with an emphasis on "Future Books"and Future magazine (1946–52). The research encompasses a comparative study of graphic information made by leading designers for other mid-century periodicals, most notably Fortune magazine in the USA.
Stencils and stencilling
Research into the history of stencils and stencilling as used principally for lettering and marking out texts has been in progress since 1999 and is wide-ranging. My aim is to establish a reliable account of such work across a wide expanse of time, context and location. I regularly publish investigations into individual episodes of stencil work that will eventually form a summary history. The research has extended to collecting artefacts and reconstructing techniques to support historical and physical interpretation. Aspects of the research have been funded by the AHRC, American Philosophical Society, Printing Historical Society and University of Reading's Research Endowment Trust Fund, and has involved long-term collaborations with Professor James Mosley and Professor Fred Smeijers.
Research in this area is presently focused on three topics: the development of stencil-making in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, highlighting the work of Jean Gabriel Bery; the stencilled poster in France in the nineteenth century (with Pierre Pané-Farré); and the typical French stencil letters and numerals made famous by painters, architects and designers.
Videos of some of my presentations:
Early Stencil Makers in Europe
The Stencilled Poster in Paris in the 19th Century (on YouTube)
Academic qualifications
BFA, MA
Publications
- Kindel, E. (2020) Stencil-making in Paris in the eighteenth century. In: Berton-Blivet, N. , Davy-Rigaux, C. , Guilloux, F. (eds.) Le livre de musique au pochoir à la fin de l’époque moderne. Institut de Recherche en Musicologie
- Kindel, E. (2019) Stencil: a descriptive bibliography. Éditions à jour , Reading. pp 24.
- Kindel, E. , Minns, E. , Nairne, K. , Odling-Smee, A. , Walker, S. (2019) Marie Neurath: Picturing Science.
- Kindel, E. (2018) Typeform Dialogues (2nd edition). Hyphen Press , London.
- Kindel, E. (2018) Eminents observed: a century of writing, lettering, type and typography at the Central School, London. In: Kindel, E. (eds.) Typeform Dialogues (2nd edition). Hyphen Press , London. pp. 50-87. ISBN: 9780907259527
- Kindel, E. (2017) Future, Fortune, and the graphic design of information. In: Black, A. , Luna, P. , Lund, O. , Walker, S. (eds.) Information Design: Research and Practice. Routledge pp. 127-146. ISBN: 9781472430700
- Kindel, E. (2014) Stencil dies: new tools for an old trade. In: Blume, J. , Pané-Farré, P. , Smeijers, F. (eds.) Vom Buch auf die Strasse: Grosse Schrift im öffenlichen Raum (Journal der HGB #3). Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst , Leipzig. pp. 41-61.
- Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. , eds. (2013) Isotype: design and contexts 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. pp 554. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Kindel, E. and Luna, P. , eds. (2013) Typography papers, 9. Hyphen Press , London. ISBN: 9780907259480
- Kindel, E. (2013) The description of stencilling by Gilles Filleau des Billettes: transcription and translation. In: Kindel, E. and Luna, P. (eds.) Typography papers 9. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 66-86. ISBN: 9780907259480
- Kindel, E. (2013) A tradition with breaks. Eye Magazine , 22 (86). pp. 38-55. ISSN: 0960-779X
- Kindel, E. (2013) Isotype in Africa, 1952–58 . In: Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. (eds.) Isotype: design and contexts, 1925–1971. Hyphen Press , London. ISBN: 9780907259473
- Kindel, E. (2013) A reconstruction of stencilling based on the description by Gilles Filleau des Billettes . In: Kindel, E. and Luna, P. (eds.) Typography papers 9. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 28-65. ISBN: 9780907259480
- Kindel, E. (2012) Typeform dialogues. Hyphen Press , London. ISBN: 9780907259152
- Kindel, E. (2012) User's manual. In: Kindel, E. (eds.) Typeform dialogues. Hyphen Press , London. pp. 5-36. ISBN: 9780907259152
- Kindel, E. (2012) Typeform dialogues. Hyphen Press , London. pp 48. ISBN: 9780907259152
- Kindel, E. and Smeijers, F. (2012) Between writing and type: the stencil letter. ISBN: 9789491054013
- Kindel, E. (2011) Reaching the people: Isotype beyond the West. In: Heinrich, R. , Nemeth, E. , Pichler, W. , Wagner, D. (eds.) Image and Imaging in Philosophy, Science and the Arts. Publications of the Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society, new series, vol. 17 , 2. Image and imaging in philosophy, science and the arts, volume 2 (Proceedings of the 33rd International Ludwig Wittgenstein-Symposium in Kirchberg, 2010) , 2 (17). pp. 175-193. ISBN: 9783868381160
- Burke, C. , Kindel, E. , Walker, S. (2010) Isotype: international picture language. Victoria & Albert Museum
- Kindel, E. and Walker, S. (2010) Isotype revisited. Il progetto sugli aspetti meno conosciuti di Isotype. Progetto grafico , 18 pp. 48-57. ISSN: 1824-1301
- Kindel, E. (2010) Fit to be seen: stencils for architects, engineers and surveyors. AA Files , 61 pp. 100-109. ISSN: 0261-6823
- Kindel, E. (2009) Delight of men and gods: Christiaan Huygens's new method of printing. Journal of the Printing Historical Society , 14 (new se pp. 5-40.
- Kindel, E. (2007) The 'Plaque Decoupee Universelle': a geometric sanserif in 1870s Paris. Typography Papers 7. Hyphen Press pp. 71-80. ISBN: 9780907259336
- Kindel, E. (2006) Patents progress: the Adjustable Stencil. Journal of the Printing Historical Society , 9 (new ser pp. 65-92.
- Kindel, E. (2006) Cheap Jack Flash. Eye , 60 pp. 46-51.
- Kindel, E. (2005) Ishihara. Eye Magazine , 56 pp. 18-23. ISSN: 0960-779X
- Kindel, E. (2004) Worlds of moiré. Eye , 52 pp. 18-27.
- Kindel, E. (2003) Hoofdletters, tweeling- en meerlingdruk . Eye , 47 pp. 30-37. ISSN: 0950-222X
- Kindel, E. (2003) Recollecting stencil letters. Typography Papers 5. University of Reading , Reading. pp. 65-101.
- Kindel, E. (2002) Stencil work in America, 1850–1900. Baseline (38). pp. 5-12. ISSN: 0954-9226
- Kindel, E. (2002) When 1+1=3. Eye Magazine , 11 (43). pp. 36-45. ISSN: 0960-779X
- Kindel, E. (2001) Marked by time. Eye Magazine , 10 (40). pp. 48-51. ISSN: 0960-779X