Eye Magazine

The summer issue, Eye 72, includes a Reputations interview with Marian Bantjes,

with a portrait by photographer Andrew Querner (see opening spread, bottom). Here are some pictures that Andrew took of Marian’s studio, along with her captions.

Top: MB: ‘My house is small, with no basement or garage. The stash of cardboard and shipping material at left causes me no end of distress; this is also where I keep my posters. I desperately need paper drawers. This is also my display wall: I hang pieces I'm not tired of looking at before I file them; and on the right is a felted piece that Sara DiCarlo in Argentina sent me.’

Above: My studio has several working surfaces, which I set up with the intent to have 'stations' for different projects. Mayhem ensues. This is where I keep my inks, rulers, graph paper, and where i pile my unpaid bills. On the right, A photo of me and my mum; below it, my name pencilled by Doyald Young. In front, one of the very few original (crappy) windows left in the house.

Above: Cover of Eye 72, with a detail of custom type by Bantjes from a poster for the Yale symposium ‘Seduction: Form, Sensation and the Production of Architectural Desire’, 2007. Client: Michael Bierut / Pentagram and Yale School of Architecture. Bantjes says: ‘Michael’s client had asked for something “pretty” but in his instruction to me, he said “Don’t be afraid to make it a little bit sick.” Originally, the fine, pointed lines were like needles, piercing the type, but perhaps that was a little too sick. Although the letterforms – in retrospect – have things I’d like to change for balance, I like the forms more than any other lettering I’ve done.’ (From the captions to Reputations, Eye 72.)

Below: artwork of opening spread, pp.14-15.