Pinnable

Until 26 October, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam presents a major retrospective of the work of graphic designer Karel Martens (b. 1939). Traditionally, Dutch graphic design has enjoyed a strong reputation internationally, and from the 1960s onwards, Martens has been one of its defining figures, along with Wim Crouwel & Jan van Toorn. He is renowned for his inventiveness, and for his playful & experimental approach, which revolutionized the way we — or other designers, at least — look at graphic design, book design & typography. His work is characterized by the frequent use of colour systems and word & number schemes, and for the better part it’s highly original.

The exhibition Karel Martens Unbound provides a comprehensive overview of the extensive oeuvre that Karel Martens created over 65 years — from his lettering on buildings, to books, typography, postage stamps, telephone cards, and wallpaper. The exhibition also offers an impression of his studio, with a wall of collected objects & pictures revealing his inspirations, and display units containing many of his designs. For the first time, sketches from Martens’ archive offer visitors a glimpse of his research & design process. At the reading table you can leaf through his designs as much as you like and, in the film room, see Martens at work and listen to designers he inspired.

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