Friends of Hightide

There’s a good reason that Hightide’s unofficial brand slogan is “Not Your Average” Goods Store. While the shop is overflowing with rare and delightful finds, the organizing principle for the Japan-born brand is this: bringing together office supplies, stationery, and art pieces that evoke a sense of American and European nostalgia.

It makes sense, then, that one of their most popular art-print collaborations from this year would be with Stephen Kenny – the London-based artist who works on a rare letterpress from the 1940’s at his studio The Printer’s Devil.

If you’ve strolled through ROW recently, or even if you've just been paying attention online, you’ve likely noticed the intriguing posters throughout the district.  

These prints belong to Kenny of course, as part of his year long “Lockdown Lockup” project. (“Lockup,” by the way, refers to the act of placing the wood block letters into the machine, hence the wordplay).

These posters demonstrate the artist’s timely public message in response to a moment of a crisis. Kenny creates these statement posters with stunning frequency from his Hackney Wick studio, and they feature messages like “The New Normal," “and Stay Safe Keep Your Distance.” Others are even more succinct and to the point, such as the simple entreaty: "Stop Corona."

Together the eccentric typography and retro vibe strike a note that is an equal mix of playful, pleasing, and powerful. Plus, the authenticity of his method lends his posters an unmatched feel of authenticity. “I really love the way old wood blocks age and pick up marks and scratches in a similar way to an old pair of jeans - the wood type prints better over time - the older it gets the better it prints,” Kenny says.

His pieces are a uniquely fitting, future souvenir of this strange and uncertain time, and you can view them here at ROW, or add them to your own collection by shopping Hightide.