An icon of graphic design and typography that stands the test of time

The beauty of brilliant graphic design is its ability to simultaneously capture a moment in time, while looking utterly timeless. The work of Dutch typographer and graphic designer Willem Sandberg manages this perfectly, and a new show of his work is soon to open at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea.

Willem’s designs came to the fore in his role as director of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, a post he held from 1945 to 1963 and which saw him not only use the space as a platform for exciting new artistic talent, but also create a stunning range of images for posters, catalogues cards and stationery.

The show, entitled Willem Sandberg: from type to image , provides a comprehensive overview of the designers work over a 50 year period from the 1930s to 1980s. “The show tells the story of how he transformed text into image to create a unique graphic language, including his use of ‘warm printing’ experimental typography and the incorporation of simple materials and reuse of existing print matter in his work,” says the gallery. “Sandberg’s distinctive designs are characterised by asymmetric typography created from fonts, ciphers and the rough contours of shapes torn out of paper.”

The show is curated by the Stedelijk Museum in collaboration with Fraser Muggeridge. Fraser wrote his undergraduate dissertation at The University of Reading in 1995 on Sandberg’s work, which forms the basis of the show.

Willem Sandberg: from type to image, runs from 30 April – 4 September 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion