Wim Crouwel, the Dutch design icon who gave us the ultra-geometric Gridnik typeface, gets his turn in the frame with his first UK retrospective at London's Design Museum opening today.
With his agency, Total Design, Crouwel pioneered a rigorously functional approach to posters, logos and corporate identities, changing the face of design in the Netherlands. Looking at key moments in his career, including his creation of Gridnik and the New Alphabet - an extraordinary cipher script of vertical and horizontal lines -- the Design Museum will also venture into the designer's role as a 'spatial organizer' for exhibitions and fair stands.
Crouwel has used grids consistently throughout his career, which visibly or invisibly direct the balance of his designs. 'I rarely make even the smallest sketch without drawing on squared paper,' he says. So, when we asked him to bring his uniquely tight grip on form and space to our interiors shoot for our April issue, we weren't surprised to find the grid incarnated in 3D. For a glimpse of this, take a look at his limited edition Wallpaper* cover (above), inspired by the shoot. But to see the full results you'll have to turn to the pages of the April issue of the magazine - out now.
Leger poster by Wim Crouwel, 1957, for Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
Exhibition poster by Wim Crouwel, 1968, for Foder Museum, Amsterdam
Vormgevers poster by Wim Crouwel, 1968, for Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Edgar Fernhout poster by Wim Crouwel, 1963, for Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
Dutch stamp designed by Wim Crouwel in the 1970s
Dutch stamp designed by Wim Crouwel in the 1970s
Morris Louis poster by Wim Crouwel, 1965, for Stedelijk Museum, Eindhoven
Kinderspel poster, by Wim Crouwel, 1965, for Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
A limited edition rug by Tony Brook for Tai Ping, featuring Crouwel’s New Alphabet will be sold exclusively at the Design Museum shop to accompany the forthcoming exhibition
A limited edition wallpaper by Tony Brook for Cole & Son, inspired by Crouwel’s letterforms, will also be at the Design Museum shop
Installation from the show ’A Graphic Odyssey by Wim Crouwel’ at the Design Museum
Installation from the show ’A Graphic Odyssey by Wim Crouwel’ at the Design Museum
Installation from the show ’A Graphic Odyssey by Wim Crouwel’ at the Design Museum
Installation from the show ’A Graphic Odyssey by Wim Crouwel’ at the Design Museum
Installation from the show ’A Graphic Odyssey by Wim Crouwel’ at the Design Museum
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