Hanif Kureshi’s art created a bridge between the street and the people

A font pulled a metropolis retired of bankruptcy successful the 1970s, erstwhile American graphic decorator Milton Glaser fashioned the “I <3 NY” logo. It was a back-of-the-envelope design, inspired by hearts carved connected histrion trunks. The logo went connected to go a pop-culture improvement that features arsenic a java cupful merch and a signpost for a city, each astatine once. Like Glaser, Gujarat-born, multidisciplinary municipality creator Hanif Kureshi, who died connected Sunday, was idiosyncratic who utilized typography to bring India to the world. That plan is astir being personal, was Kureshi’s calling card.

“Typefaces are similar people,” helium said, “You knew them by the apparel they wore. You could instrumentality Helvetica to a enactment and it would acceptable it, portion the azygous font, reddish container of The Economist is truthful distinct.” Kureshi had an unthinkable quality to not conscionable bring radical to the streets, arsenic helium did successful Mumbai’s Sassoon Dock Art Project and Delhi’s Lodhi Art District done his St+art India initiative, but helium besides brought the thoroughfare to the people. His Handpainted Type task came from the streets, seen connected store boards of foodstuff sellers and paanwalas — thick, unabashedly bold and vibrant successful code and lettering. He democratised art, taking the borderline disconnected the achromatic cube, blunting its stuffiness and unreal terms tag.