Much like 18(1), the inspiration for the front of this issue of Stand comes from an earlier cover. Used a few times over the years, Ron Swift’s design for the 4th issue of 1967 features a tree with a striking red heart growing in place of an apple.

In reimagining the design, a few changes have been made. The tree grows upwards, in defiance of Stand’s distinct dimensions, beyond the border and out of sight. This contrasts with Swift’s stouter, bushier tree which sits squarely in the frame, growing out from the word ‘Stand’ and a stack of contributors which – in turn – sits root-like below.

Taking a further cue from one of Swift’s most characteristic practices, the tree forms a central element of the word ‘Stand’. The accents on the bark twist into the ‘t’, while the trunk and branches also form a glyph, and the tree thus becomes both symbolic and typographic.

I am not sure of the motivation behind’s Swift’s choice of motif but, perhaps, the tree holds a particular significance for our current situation. The colour palette mimics the NHS livery and the network of branches and leaves offers an image of unity and community.

Maybe we have something to learn from Swift’s tree – defiant, proud, and reminding us that we Stand together.
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