Zuzana Licko, born inĀ Bratislava, Slovakia inĀ 1961, is a celebrated typeface designer andĀ visual artist best known for co-founding Emigre, aĀ digital type foundry.

Zuzana Licko, born inĀ Bratislava, Slovakia inĀ 1961, is a celebrated typeface designer andĀ visual artist best known for co-founding Emigre, aĀ digital type foundry.

Zuzana Licko. Photo courtesy ofĀ Emigre.

Zuzana Licko. Photo courtesy ofĀ Emigre.

She moved to the United States andĀ studied at the University ofĀ California, Berkeley, where she majored in graphic communications. After graduation, she and her husband Rudy VanderLans founded Emigre Graphics, a design business that would later become one of the most influential design magazines of its time.

She moved to the United States andĀ studied at the University ofĀ California, Berkeley, where she majored in graphic communications. After graduation, she and her husband Rudy VanderLans founded Emigre Graphics, a design business that would later become one of the most influential design magazines of its time.

The complete Mr & Mrs Eaves family of fonts. Image courtesy of Emigre.

The complete Mr & Mrs Eaves family of fonts. Image courtesy of Emigre.

Licko was a firm believer in technology assisting designers. She was an early adopter of the Macintosh computer, incorporating the possibilities it offered into her worksā€”one of the first digital typefaces out there. Among her most well-known typefaces are MrsĀ Eaves, Mr Eaves, Matrix, Modula, Filosofia, Lo-Res, and others. Licko has written numerous essays about typefaces and the way theyā€™re perceived by readers. ā€œThe most popular typefaces are theĀ easiest toĀ read; their popularity has made them disappear fromĀ conscious cognition. It becomes impossible to tell if they areĀ easy to read because they areĀ commonly used, or if they are commonly used because they are easy to read,ā€ she said. Aside from typefaces, Licko isĀ interested in creating ceramic andĀ textile art objects. Her work isĀ inĀ the permanent collections ofĀ museums like MoMA NY and MoMA SF among others.

Licko was a firm believer in technology assisting designers. She was an early adopter of the Macintosh computer, incorporating the possibilities it offered into her worksā€”one of the first digital typefaces out there. Among her most well-known typefaces are MrsĀ Eaves, Mr Eaves, Matrix, Modula, Filosofia, Lo-Res, and others. Licko has written numerous essays about typefaces and the way theyā€™re perceived by readers. ā€œThe most popular typefaces are theĀ easiest toĀ read; their popularity has made them disappear fromĀ conscious cognition. It becomes impossible to tell if they areĀ easy to read because they areĀ commonly used, or if they are commonly used because they are easy to read,ā€ she said. Aside from typefaces, Licko isĀ interested in creating ceramic andĀ textile art objects. Her work isĀ inĀ the permanent collections ofĀ museums like MoMA NY and MoMA SF among others.

Cones And Arcs #3 by Zuzana Licko. Photo courtesy of Emigre.

Cones And Arcs #3 by Zuzana Licko. Photo courtesy of Emigre.

Throw blanket by Zuzana Licko. Photo courtesy of Emigre.