Elizabeth Goodspeed
Dead Letters
Mainstream visual culture has a habit of condensing entire eras into a single stylistic shorthand: neo-grotesques for the ’60s, bulbous serifs for the ’70s, or highlighter scripts for the ’80s. But history is more eclectic than the algorithm would have you believe. These aesthetic callbacks overlook the conditions that shape typographic work, then and now—the industries and formats it serves, the available tools and type libraries, and the individual preferences of working designers.
Elizabeth will explore how a more curious and critical engagement with archival typography can sharpen both taste and practice. Through vernacular ephemera, unexpected historic parallels, and a closer look at what we mean when we reference “the past,” she advocates for a design culture that delivers specificity over vibes and informed reference over retro cliché.
About Elizabeth Goodspeed
Elizabeth Goodspeed is an independent designer and writer based in Providence, Rhode Island. In her studio work, she is a devoted generalist with a focus on historically-inspired brand identity and print projects. She has worked with clients like Herman Miller, Phaidon, HBO, and The Whitney Museum, as well as studios like Pentagram, Mythology, High Tide, RoAndCo, Interbrand, and Porto Rocha. Her writing and criticism explore the cyclical patterns of visual culture and the lasting influence of everyday, utilitarian graphic design on the broader creative landscape. She is the US Editor-at-Large for It’s Nice That, where she writes a monthly column on design and visual culture, and contributes regularly to Fast Company, PORT, The Architect’s Newspaper, and AIGA Eye on Design. Elizabeth also publishes Casual Archivist, a newsletter on design history, and teaches at RISD and Parsons.
elizabethgoodspeed.com
@goodspeed@typo.social
@goodspeed.bsky.social
@elizabeth_goodspeed
