About

Formist is a publisher, a type foundry and a design studio. Driven by the belief that communication is as much about feeling as it is about clarity, Formist utilise their unique cultural experience to develop rigorous solutions that unify content, concept and design. Every Formist project exhibits a commitment to research, detail and quality.

Formist Editions is the publishing arm committed to creating high quality books, prints and artworks for lovers of art and design. The organisation also comprises Formist Foundry, a commercial outlet for unique and expressive typefaces; and Formist Studio, a design practice that develops bespoke solutions for organisations and institutions.

Formist has over 25 years experience as an industry leader specialising in design for leading cultural and commercial organisations including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Candalepas Associates, Seoul Museum of Art, Entertainment One, Hopscotch Films, Kaldor Public Art Projects, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, JCDecaux, Sydney Opera House, Warp Records, Powerhouse Museum, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney Film Festival, Universal Music, Artspace Sydney, University of Technology Sydney and the Venice Art Biennale.

Formist provides conceptual advice, as well as publishing and design services to institutions and enterprises with a like-minded approach to culture. Enquiries are welcome.

Formist Editions

Formist Editions produces significant publications of volume and clarity by facilitating the documentation of creators and culture. We aspire to share content that is engaging, progressive and beautiful. We search for a synergy between form and content that is inspiring, enlightening and entertaining. At Formist we consider young artists as equal to established practitioners and always create our publications based on the quality of the content. We firmly believe in equality and inclusion.

Editorially Formist is passionate and direct. We wish to inform the reader without pretence and maintain a point of view that is thoughtful and accessible. Formist books are tactile and beautiful, while remaining relevant and informative. We strive to produce carefully edited publications that are designed and produced to the highest possible standards, and while our design will always be in service of the content, it is also challenging and progressive.

When creating a publication, we meticulously produce all aspects of the project, from concept through editorial and design, to fabrication, marketing and distribution. Our commitment to quality and progressive publishing is exhibited in every edition.

Formist
Sydney, Australia
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Mark Gowing
Publisher and Creative Director

Mark Gowing is an artist, designer and publisher working in Gadigal/Wangal country, Sydney, Australia. He is the director of Formist, a publisher, type foundry and design studio, which specialises in books, typefaces and cultural commissions. Gowing is also co-founder of the groundbreaking music arts organisation Longform Editions. With a practice spanning more than 35 years, Gowing has produced projects for leading organisations and institutions with a passionate focus on visual art and language, design, film and music. In 2018 Gowing’s work was featured in the publication The History of Graphic Design. Vol. 2. 1960–Today and his poster design is surveyed in the publication Mark Gowing: Inside the Oblong. He has been honoured with solo exhibitions at the 22nd International Poster Biennale in Warsaw, Poland, the Divieto d’Affissione in Turin, Italy, and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Gowing is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale and his work is held in numerous institutional collections including the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, USA.