The NBU will change the text on the Stus banknote due to the font’s association with Russia
15 July 13:16
The National Bank of Ukraine will change the denomination text on the 2,000-hryvnia banknote featuring Ukrainian poet and dissident Vasyl Stus following a public debate over the origin of the font used. This was announced by NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyy, according to
According to him, following the banknote’s presentation, the professional community raised concerns about the calligraphy of the denomination inscription. Some designers noted that the style of the inscription is based on a font adaptation created by a Russian designer.
“One could argue about glyphs and licenses. Legally, we’re in the clear. But I asked myself another question: Can a banknote featuring a person killed by Russia bear even the slightest association with the Russian Federation? The answer is obvious. Therefore, we have only one correct solution. The denomination inscription will be changed,” Pyshnyy noted.
He also thanked representatives of the professional community who brought this issue to light.
“Thank you to the attentive professionals who care about what our hryvnia looks like. That’s how accountability should work—mutually,” added the NBU governor.
Context
Following the presentation of the 2,000-hryvnia banknote dedicated to Vasyl Stus, a discussion erupted within the design community regarding the design of the denomination inscription. In particular, Ukrainian typographers and designers noted that its graphic design resembles an adaptation of a typeface created by a Russian designer.
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Critics emphasized that the use of elements that could be associated with the Russian school of design is inappropriate on a banknote dedicated to Vasyl Stus—a Ukrainian poet, human rights activist, and dissident who died in 1985 in a Soviet labor camp after years of persecution by the Soviet authorities.
As reported by
