The Typographic Dante
30 April – 30 June 2019
The Typographic Dante was a visual journey from Hell, through Purgatory, to Paradise in an exhibition of works responding to Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’.
Artist Barrie Tullett created a series of typographic illustrations, each of which responded to a Canto of Dante’s unfolding narrative, giving an opportunity to experience the whole journey of the ‘Divine Comedy’ in one visual experience. Each work was made using a different ‘obsolete’ technology: wood and metal type, a typewriter and letraset.
The ‘Divine Comedy’ is a poem by Dante Alighieri. Written between 1308 and 1320, it describes Dante’s journey, led by Virgil, through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, and, at a deeper level, represents the soul’s journey towards God.
Barrie Tullett is Programme Leader for Graphic Design at the University of Lincoln and is the author of Typewriter Art: A Modern Anthology (Laurence King Publishing, 2014).
A set of prints by Brenda Dermody, reinterpreting some of these typographic illustrations, accompanied the works. Dermody is a designer, author and researcher, and is Programme Chair of Visual Communication at the Dublin School of Creative Arts, Technological University Dublin.
The Typographic Dante ran at the National Poetry Library from Tuesday 30 April to Sunday 30 June 2019.
For your visit
National Poetry Library Southbank Centre
The National Poetry Library is open six days a week.
Tuesday, 12 noon – 6pm
Wednesday – Sunday, 12 noon – 8pm
Getting here
The National Poetry Library is on Level 5 of our Royal Festival Hall.
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Study & library use
The library is London’s only space dedicated to poetry study. Visitors studying another subject or looking for a place to work are kindly asked to find an alternative space in the Royal Festival Hall.
