Anglia Ruskin University

Type Tarts

Date: 23 April - 6 May 2010
Time: Monday to Friday, 10.00 - 17.00
Private View: Thursday 22 April

Between September 2008 and April 2009, Type invited designers to redesign the trademark of London call girls, the tart card, to help support the St Bride Library London, one of the most important resources for the Graphics industry. Over 450 designers took part from stars of the typographical world to students. So pervasive are they, and so curious the resulting typography, images and copy writing, that they are now regarded as items of accidental art and have something of a cult following.

In among this plethora of brilliant, witty graphic designs we would like to highlight the serious issue that lies at the heart of the world of tart cards - the plight of trafficked women in the sex industry. It is a subject touched eloquently on by Mike Dempsey of Studio Dempsey, who is a volunteer at the Helen Bamber Foundation which helps rebuild lives broken by human rights violations. While our exhibition is an ode to the graphic qualities of the tart card phenomena, Dempsey's design is a pertinent reminder of the sinister world that lies beneath every card.

Designs include contributions from Erik Kessels, Anthony Burrill, Neville Brody, Fernando Gutiérrez, Ian Wright and Noma Bar as well as Anglia Ruskin lecturers Will Hill and Jon Melton (work pictured).


Exhibition intended for mature audiences - some works may contain nudity and reference to sexuality and may be unsuitable for under 12s. We recommend under 12s are accompanied by an adult at all times during the exhibition.