Ian Irving – Teletext Art

Knowledge base

Perspectives on teletext art

Many artists, academics and commentators have contextualised teletext art in their own way, addressing commonly-cited criticisms regarding the medium’s later life. Raquel Meyers, in...

Dan FarrimondOctober 31, 2026

Knowledge base

Hands Up! (1990)

Broadcast in 1990, Hands Up! was a series of educational TV programmes commissioned by Channel 4 made entirely with animated teletext graphics. It was...

Dan FarrimondOctober 17, 2026

Knowledge base

The Fantastic Adventures of 4-T (1980-1990)

The Fantastic Adventures of 4-T followed the escapades of a cyan canine character that had its basis in a teletext dog Ian Irving had...

Dan FarrimondOctober 17, 2026

Knowledge base

Early History of Teletext Art (1970-1975)

Pre-teletext Teletext art has its ancestral origins in the mosaics and cross-stitching first documented in ancient times, as well as poetry using letter arrangements...

Dan FarrimondOctober 13, 2026

Knowledge base

Teletext Design: An Overview

Styles Despite its restrictions, teletext is capable of facilitating a variety of styles. It may carry a certain aesthetic, but as a medium it...

Dan FarrimondOctober 8, 2026

Announcements

#Teletext50 art exhibition on Yle Text in Finland (7 October – 11 November 2024)

It has been exactly fifty years since the world’s first teletext service, Ceefax, launched in September 1974. As part of the birthday festivities, Finnish...

Dan FarrimondOctober 6, 2024

Artists

Ian ‘Swirv’ Irving

Self-written biography Joined Ceefax at its beginning in 1974 as news and general sub-editor, gradually developing the graphics side of things. Eventually became full...

Dan FarrimondMay 6, 2023