60 years since the original publication of Kelly’s folio in 1964, we are revisiting the folio to produce a new edition. A main tenet of the project is to undergo a re-contextualization of the collection for a new century, for new technologies, and for new generations. This document will be a representation of the collection as it now stands, in a very different time and place from its origin, produced by a diverse group of young designers. This is an ongoing experiment, and we are only scratching the surface of this endeavor.

As part of our ongoing student RRK Residency series, 15 undergraduate students have contributed to the progress of this project so far, beginning in the summer of 2022. For a five-week session each summer, admitted students are compensated to participate in a full-time effort to collaborate on the design and printing of new specimens. It’s a unique opportunity to be extensively hands-on with the RRK collection, and affording students these experiences has allowed for countless ideas and discoveries. Exciting and unpredictable things happen when students are given the time and resources to delve into creative efforts outside the typical rhythm and structure of an academic course.

We like to think of the collection’s history as an ongoing legacy, still being created by the young designers that are inspired to embrace the collection into their practice. To continue to work with the collection is to participate in an extensive dialogue with prior generations of designers and printers that has been unfolding over two centuries.

This endeavor to reprint the folio is an ongoing task. We don’t know when we will pull the last print in the series. We’ll continue to chip away at it, with cycling generations of new students and faculty making contributions, and feeding the spirit of the collection.

Contributors:

2022                                             2023                                             2024                                             2025

Juleanna Culilap                        Ava Darvish                               Gianina Faelnar                         Lauren Baronoskie                                                                                                          

Julia Haas                                   Avery Fox                                   Colin Nations                               Juliana Flores

Grace Harter                              Kenny Ly                                     Madison Tran                             Jude Swagel

Coco Lai                                      Nhu Phung                                  Vianey Trejo                               Ellie Weisblatt  

Gabi Williams                            Veda Rallabandi                                                                                Karlee Williams                                   

With guidance from:

Henry Smith

Gabi Williams

Carley Law

Tasheka Arceneaux-Sutton

Explore our progress thus far!