CHARACTERS
De typografie in relatie tot film, openbare ruimte en modeDate: 18 October 1996 –13 February 1997
Location: various locations in The Hague
Typography is often overlooked in terms of how it visually relates to the whole of which it is a part. Any typography applied in a specific "environment" exists within a larger visual language, relates to it, and calibrates itself accordingly. To shed light on the relational aspect of typography, a series of activities was organized examining the relationship between typography and three "visual domains": film, public space, and fashion.
1. GRAPHIC DESIGN OF FEATURE FILMS
Feature films are announced with posters, billboards, opening titles, and credits. The way in which graphic design is applied is characteristic of the specific film.
18 October, 1996
Film Titles by Saul and Elaine Bass
An evening was dedicated to the American graphic designer Saul Bass, who passed away that year at the age of 76. He made groundbreaking contributions in the field of film, starting in 1954 when he was asked by director Otto Preminger to design the title sequence for the film Carmen Jones. He became famous for his revolutionary graphic animations for The Man with the Golden Arm and Anatomy of a Murder. Alfred Hitchcock also worked with him. In the late 1980s, he was rediscovered by Martin Scorsese. The last titles he designed, together with his wife Elaine, were for the film Casino. During the tribute to Saul Bass, a compilation of his title sequences was shown. The program also included a screening of the Belgian documentary The Father of the Foreplay, an interview with Saul Bass, and the Oscar-winning film Why Man Creates by Saul and Elaine Bass (1968). Graphic designer Anton Spruit shared his admiration for Saul Bass, and American author Pat Kirkham expressed her connection to the artist in a lecture on his work, personality, and collaboration with Elaine.
17 October – 13 November, 1996
The Filmhuis in The Hague showed a film program featuring movies for which Saul and Elaine Bass had designed the titles.
27 October, 1996, 14:00hrs – 22:00hrs
Symposium on Film Title Design
Location: Haags Filmhuis, moderated by Hans Beerekamp (NRC Handelsblad)
Historian and Filmhuis staff member Erik Daams opened the symposium with a video anthology of title sequences from a century of film history, from Griffith to Beineix. Hans Beerekamp discussed the consistency in Woody Allen’s film titles and argued that end credits are an integral part of the film. Jaap van Zijderveld Jr. spoke about his father, who painted cinema advertisements in The Hague starting in 1945. Filmmaker Gerard Holthuis contributed a talk on intertitles in 1930s home movies and how people cleverly economized on 9/12 mm film. Beerekamp interviewed Anton Spruit, who wrote his graduation thesis in 1990 on film title design. Walter Verdin, known for his work across music, dance, theater, and video, and particularly for his title sequences for Belgian TV (BRT), explained that text is not only something to be heard but also seen. Filmmaker Albert Wulffers, trained as a graphic designer, never outsources the title sequences of his films. British designer Daniel Kleinman, known for music videos (Madonna, Prince, etc.) and commercials, spoke about the technical background and creation of Goldeneye and analyzed the importance of narrative elements in title sequences. Maarten Sprenger of PARK 4DTV concluded with a performance on the theme of "Characters," a play on an endless stream of images.
2. ON LETTERING IN PUBLIC SPACE
There is far less concrete information on this subject compared to film titles. For example: who determines the lettering? The architect or the user of the building? Or is there a need for a supervising aesthetic committee? In contemporary urban development, buildings often emerge whose function — hotel or prison — is not immediately apparent. What should the lettering relate to in such cases?
Studio 3, 31 October, 1996
Graphic designer Vincent van Baar presented a massive archive of visual material from The Hague and beyond, bombarding the packed hall with a series of real-world examples and giving his personal commentary on what was “good” and “bad.” Anno Fekkes, head lecturer in graphic and typographic design at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), gave a practical example: a lettering proposal by Klaus Baumgärtner for the Academy building, which ultimately failed due to rejection by the municipal aesthetics committee. Hein Eberson of Trademark TM gave a lecture on how typographers today can face moral dilemmas. Against the backdrop of veiling architecture, they are tasked with creating highly commercialized signage under strict demands from sponsors. Using the buildings around Spuiplein as an example, he demonstrated how architecture has surrendered to commerce and real estate laws. He highlighted key cultural institutions at Spuiplein whose architecture scarcely reveals their function.
Studio 3, 19 December, 1996
Respected graphic designer Paul Mijksenaar — professor at TU Delft and responsible for wayfinding at Schiphol Airport — spoke about the "tyranny of the street," what is already present there, and how to engage or respond to it. He showed many orientation examples: entrances, exits, street visuals. Artist and architect John Körmeling, known for public text works such as De 9de van OMA or hi, ha, ho (Schiphol), offered simple and seemingly unpretentious solutions, cutting through conventional expectations. He also passionately discussed developments related to his new "clean engine" car.
28 April – 12 May, 1997
In collaboration with the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), The Hague
Location: Public Library / City Hall Complex
Using The Hague’s Spuiplein as a case study, 30 third-year and advanced students from the KABK's Department of Graphic and Typographic Design researched for a trimester how the identity of the square could be influenced through lettering. It was an open-ended assignment that required substantial effort from instructors Kees van Drongelen, Jan Willem Stas, and Anno Fekkes to keep students motivated. After an evaluation round, several students developed their ideas further, mostly with an autonomous character. Kim Bosch was the only one to propose a typographic solution: a more universal design of façade signage at Spuiplein, where the letters glow and move at night due to chosen materials and typeface. Rieme Gleijm proposed an observation tower in the middle of the square with binoculars from which one could read the functions of the surrounding buildings. Albert Pinggera aimed to digitally record movement in the square via sensors in the tiles, with the data being displayed in newspapers, on local TV, and as online screen savers, etc. Daphne van Langen wanted to create a friendlier atmosphere in the square using plants — each institution was assigned a specific type of plant and corresponding sign. Designer Gert Dumbar provided commentary on the proposals.
3. ON LETTERS IN FASHION
13 February, 1997
Lectures at the Hague Salon, City Hall
Fashion, like language, is a means of communication. Clothing can emphasize the identity of the wearer but can also itself carry texts and messages. Across all walks of life, people wear clothing with visible text. Yet these messages function as codes that only insiders understand. Does this typographic element add something to fashion design? And do form and content go hand in hand?
In an inspiring evening, Liz Farelly, editor and author of Wear Me: Fashion and Graphics Interaction, discussed fashion as communication and the interaction between subculture and fashion. Through clothing — such as T-shirts with logos making statements on social issues, political slogans, ad texts, names of bands, etc. — people create an image for themselves. In the late '70s, star magazines emerged, prompting youth to identify with celebrities and their clothing. But the influence reversed as well: youth subcultures and their associated visuals were translated back into the world of celebrities. Roelof Mulder, active in various disciplines including graphic design, fashion, interior design, and visual arts, focused on youth culture. He organized parties with videos and music, designed T-shirts, and made promotional videos, including for fashion designer Daniel Poole. He was interested in how people identify with clothing, like the boy who felt like Michael Jordan simply because he wore a similar T-shirt. Aziz Bekkaoui, fashion designer and winner of the XI Festival International des Jeunes Stylistes, incorporated existing (corporate) clothing in his designs. According to him, logos received so much attention in the '80s that it practically led to a war between logos and fashion design.
Curated by: Working group, film section coordinated by Albert Wulffers in collaboration with Haags Filmhuis
Poster design for the entire event: Rudo Hartman