Tristan Bartolini, a student at the HEAD (Geneva University of Art and Design), was awarded the Red Cross Art Humanity 2020 Prize on 15 October for his project for an inclusive typeface called "L'inclusif-ve". For his diploma work Tristan Bartolini was looking for a theme in line with his convictions, he explains in La Tribune de Genève .
"There was a lot of debate about epic writing. It was becoming more and more common in administrative documents, in advertisements. I thought, "It's not just a matter for linguists, we can bring in graphic solutions." he continues in the Swiss daily newspaper.
New typographical signs
For this purpose, the student designed new typographical signs composed of letters with mixed masculine and feminine endings. In the same way that the O and the E form the ?, he invented more than 40 non-generated typographical characters.
Among the detractors of inclusive writing, the argument of its "illegible" aspect is often raised. Although this is only one way to use inclusive writing, it does allow the "midpoint" to be used to use both the masculine and feminine parts of the same word, for example "presidential candidate".
But with this new system, there is no longer a need for a mid-point to signify inclusiveness. Tristan Bartolini hopes that this project is just the beginning. Now it's up to the typographers to take it over.
Launched in 2015 by the Geneva Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross and HEAD, the Art Humanity Prize rewards projects that combine humanitarian commitment and artistic impetus.
