Dee Maher Ring

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Dee Maher Ring is an Irish Research Council Postgraduate Researcher at the School of Media, TU Dublin working on her project titled "Towards a methodology for documenting Ireland's visual graphic heritage of vernacular shopfront lettering". Her interdisciplinary PhD thesis encompasses design, craft, and heritage studies in order to establish a case for the cultural significance of Ireland's rich heritage of vernacular letterforms on shopfronts and the traditional craft of signwriting.
Supervisors: Dr Mary Ann Bolger and Dr Niamh Ann Kelly

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Rebecca Carrai

Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz / Max-Planck-Institut

University of Ulster

University of Worcester

Anh Linh

Eduardo Boheme Kumamoto

Johan Järlehed

University of Gothenburg

Caroline Powley

Auckland University of Technology

Robert Harland

Loughborough University

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Papers by Dee Maher Ring

Typ.ologies: Reframing Ireland's vernacular letterform through the lens of heritage

InfoDesign - Brazilian Journal of Information Design, 2023

Since the late 1800s, vernacular letterforms have been vital components of the traditional shopfr... more Since the late 1800s, vernacular letterforms have been vital components of the traditional shopfronts of Ireland, enlivening, place-making, and inspiring dialogue with streetscapes. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage identifies, records, and evaluates Ireland’s post-1700 architectural heritage. While the state initiative appraises architecturally significant shopfronts, it typically overlooks the critical signage element. This research aims to bridge this gap by documenting, mapping, and interpreting the existing vernacular letterforms in Kilkenny as a paradigm. Through the lens of heritage, the study seeks to construct a case for preserving, promoting, and advocating for vernacular letterforms and the traditional craft of signwriting. Signwriting straddles art, craft, and design dissolving creative hierarchies yet remains academically underexplored. Raising awareness and advancing the craft’s criticality may influence local and national policy. With the current economic climate threatening to permanently alter Ireland’s typographic landscapes, academic scrutiny of this rich graphic heritage has never been more crucial.

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