Street view with an advertisement site presenting the red and white artworkStreet view with an advertisement site presenting the red and white artworkStreet view with an advertisement site presenting the red and white artworkStreet view with an advertisement site presenting the red and white artwork

Typoetry: Stephen Watts x Léo Monnet

Typoetry: Stephen Watts x Léo Monnet

16
 
May 2022

This poem by Stephen Watts, designed by Léo Monnet, can be found at Green Street Library, 337-341 Green Street, London E13 9AR‍ and at Our Newham Work, 112-118 The Grove, Stratford, London E15 1NS

… And so I long for snow to
sweep across the low heights of London
from the lonely railyards and track huts
– London a lichen mapped on mild clays
and its rough circle without purpose –

By Stephen Watts

Green Street Library, 337-341 Green Street, London E13 9AR
There are ten libraries across Newham, each offering a range of services and community activities, as well as a fantastic selection of books and other reading material. Monday–Saturday, 10am to 8pm. Learn more.

Our Newham Work, 112-118 The Grove, Stratford, London E15 1NS
Our Newham Work has been designed to help Newham residents into work. Our Newham Work offers a range of advice and guidance including various support services to help Newham residents secure employment. Learn more.

Poem set in design. Several layers of scriptures are interwoven. The coulours are red, white and black.

Stephen Watts was born in London in 1952 (of partly Swiss-Italian heritage) and has lived in Whitechapel since 1976. Recent books include 'Ancient Sunlight' (2014) and 'Republic Of Dogs/Republic Of Birds' (2020) which was made into the film 'The Republics' by Huw Wahl. In 2021 he edited 'Swirl Of Words/Swirl Of Worlds: Poems From 94 Languages Spoken In Hackney' for PEER Gallery, Hoxton, and his work was the subject of an exhibition at the Strauhof in Zurich and the Nunnery Gallery, Bow, London. His 'Collected Poems' will be published by Prototype in October 2022, as will 'A Book Of Drawn Poems'. He is also well-known as a translator, often working with poets in exile across London.

Design by Léo Monnet, Master Type Design, ECAL/University of Art and Design of Lausanne. Learn more: ECAL MATD | ECAL MATD Instagram | Léo Monnet Instagram

Typoetry is a showcase of poetry and Swiss graphic design. Around 30 works by poets from Switzerland, the UK and Newham are forming artistic trails in the London Borough of Newham from 20 May to 17 July 2022. Learn more.