Plus Eighty One #97
225 x 300mm, 164 pages
Tokyo, Japan (bilingual, Japanese and English)
Biannual
Published since 1997
Creative director & Editor-in-chief: Satoru Yamashita
Over 28 years, +81 has covered the international creative scene—graphic design, fashion, photography, film, and music from a Japanese angle—compiling interviews and research on a different theme every issue and providing plenty of visual references to the subject.
This latest edition—themed ‘Beyond the Letter’—is a font-filled love letter to typography, the power of letters, and ‘the significance and possibilities of visual expression through letters today.’ Featuring interviews with type-loving creatives, including revered Dutch graphic designer Karel Martens and British editorial designer Chris Ashworth. Celebrated Japanese sculpture and designer Takenobu Igarashi is remembered through an interview with his assistant Asako Hada, delving into his use of the alphabet as an artistic motif; and Yukie Nakagawa profiles artist Pablo Lehmann, unpicking his intricate mixed media lettering practice, exploring ‘the weight and trace that language leaves behind.’ The issue’s pages are packed with examples of typography.