»Table and chair; pen and paper; text and time« is a publishing house, developed during my master thesis at the School of Visual Arts in New York. What sounds long and complicated describes most simply the heart of it all: handwritten books, meticulously crafted as one-of-a-kind objects. This unconventional way of making texts accessible questions our dependency on technology, shifting the focus from mere content delivery to a very personal, even intimate experience of literature. All it takes in the process is a table and a chair to sit on, a pen and paper, and a piece of text worthwhile to be read—­and rewritten. In a way, this turns back the hands of time, to an era before Gutenberg and the printing press, where print wasn’t on the verge of dying—­where it hadn’t even been born.

»Table and chair; pen and paper; text and time« is an exploration of handwriting in various forms: books, spaces, performances and workshops. It offers an experience in response to the fast pace of contemporary culture.

Helga Schmid is the creator and calligrapher behind »Table and chair; pen and paper; text and time«.

In the past, she studied Communi­ca­tion Design in Germany, and later graduated from the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. After an engagement at the Museum of Modern Art she returned to Europe.

In the present, Helga is a MPhil/PhD candidate with the Design Interactions Department at the Royal College of Art in London. She explores our common concepts of time in regard to their implications for living organisms (including you).

In the future, Helga would love to create experiences, teach and keep on smiling.

In the meantime, why don't you have a look at toyou.fromhelga.com?

Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in a handwritten book, a performance or workshop, or any kind of cooperation:
Simply email me!