Widely credited with creating Macintosh’s ubiquitous digital language in the 1980s, computer iconographer Susan Kare began work for Apple in 1982, as the sole artist for screen graphics. A degree in fine arts, rather than in graphic design, proved useful when creating warm, human typefaces and icons which quickly struck a chord with users.
Kare’s famous designs - including the Happy Mac icon, floppy disk symbol when saving files and the Command key symbol - are today an iconic part of our visual language, and something she has interpreted once again, this time in a jewellery format.
A collaboration with Asprey Studio, Esc Keys, sees 32 new icons designed by Kare brought to life as enamelled computer keys in silver or plated gold, or as playful jewellery pieces. The collection includes Kare’s mischievous ‘Panic!’ key, originally installed on her own personal keyboard.
It is a natural step for Aspey Studio, established in 2021 to champion works which blur the boundaries between the worlds of art and design. For Alastair Walker, chief creative officer of Asprey Studio, the partnership is an effortless one. He says: ‘Susan Kare is an influential and pioneering artist who works with reduced palettes and resolutions to convey, in an immediately understandable way, complex and often inexpressible tasks.’
Esc Keys is available online via Asprey Studio’s website
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