The hardest working font in Manhattan:
In 2007, on my first trip to New York City, I grabbed a brand-new DSLR camera and photographed all the fonts I was supposed to love. I admired American Typewriter in all of the I <3 NYC logos, watched Akzidenz Grotesk and Helvetica fighting over the subway signs, and even caught an occasional appearance of the flawlessly-named Gotham, still a year before it skyrocketed in popularity via Barack Obama’s first campaign.
But there was one font I didn’t even notice, even though it was everywhere around me.
Last year in New York, I walked over 100 miles and took thousands of photos of one and one font only.
The font’s name is Gorton.
What an amazing deep dive. The writing and photos as much as the subject matter. I loved learning about the Leroy lettering set and stencils, such a geeky topic since like a well-crafted website most people don’t notice lettering unless it’s incorrect or not legible.