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"The typographic performance must reveal, not replace, the inner_______________. Typographers, like other artists and craftsmen-musicians, composers and authors as well-must as a (general) rule do their work and disappear."

User Baumgarb
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Final answer:

The question pertains to the imperative role of typographers in ensuring that their work reveals the message without becoming the focal point. It aligns with artistic philosophy across different mediums, emphasizing clarity, the avoidance of superfluous detail, and integrating form with function.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the role of typographers and how their work should reveal the underlying message rather than overshadowing it. This principle is not exclusive to typography but extends to other forms of art and craftsmanship. As expressed by historical artists and writers, the focus is on selecting aspects of nature or culture, much like a musician selects notes, to create harmonious or transformative work. Whether it is Ezra Pound's encouragement to poets to omit superfluous words or William Morris's view of harmony between form and function, the emphasis is clear: art should illuminate and deepen meaning.

Taking inspiration from themes like Bauhaus, which marked its style by the absence of ornamentation, and the advice of poets like Pound and Williams, typographers must understand that their skill lies in how effectively they can communicate the essence of the content without their work becoming the central focus. Like the work of artists and poets that paved the way for social reform through mindful expression and cultivated craftsmanship, typographers too play an integral role in how language shapes and reflects society.

Indeed, as LibreTexts™ suggests, this is not solely about the product but also the process, a continuous engagement with art and language that shapes our perception and understanding. The typographic performance is about creating clarity and allowing the text to speak for itself, enabling the audience to grasp the core of the message effortlessly. This is the true essence of the invisible art of typography—it reveals without revealing itself.

User Sandr
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