Currently working on...

...an eventstyle for the BNO, media for the Humanity House (a Red Cross Museum in The Hague), an infographic commissioned by Jordan architects Febrik, an afasia therapy app for the i-pad, a new column for Typeradio, and a new identity for Gallery Em. 

Women, Incorporated.

I'm honored to join Women Inc Agency, a speakers bureau that represents professional women of diverse backgrounds who lead, or contribute to lectures, symposia, debates or television programms. Their line up is pretty impressive, with the likes of Hadassah de Boer, Annemarie Jorritsma, Heleen Mees and Anousha Nzume. The agency is set up by Women Inc, a Dutch platform for women. 

Essays on the west and the rest published in Australia

I've always been fascinated by cultures beyond the west, and the complex and ever evolving relationship between top dog and underdog. Inspired by observations and experiences while working abroad, I started a series of essays. They were picked up by Australian magazine Open Manifesto, which features a pretty impressive list of guest authors such as Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister and Wally Olins. You can get a copy of the magazine or read the articles online.

 

Designing it forward

Eight Hours Overtime is in international event in which young creatives donate time and energy to help out charities with a communications challenge. Tonight, from six till two in the morning, I will be coaching five teammembers from different creative backgrounds to develop great creative work. The event in The Hague will take place at the Humanity House. 

Never work for family

They say you should never work for family, but when you have an aunt like Emmy Miltenburg, you'd be an idiot not to. With her eye for talent and the ability to make intricate connections between designers, her gallery has become a unique place for designers to present their work to the public. To give the gallery a new boost, I will be developing strategy, identity, website and other media. Stay tuned.

Homeward bound

After working on location in Seoul for six months for Studio Dumbar, I'm heading back to the Netherlands, to start my own business. I could not have picked a worst time economically speaking. But, as they say, never waste a good crisis. It is a challenging time, but o.m.g., the possibilities!

A hallyu of Korean Talent

In cooperation with Nuffic Neso Korea, I've set up a Dutch Design Masterclass in Communication Design in Seoul. During five days, I worked with 25 students and young professionals on a new brand for the ever evolving and paradoxical centre of Seoul: Ghwanghwamun. We had an awesome time, as you can see in the pictures...

Dutch Design in Seoul

Studio Dumbar and Nuffic Neso Korea are organizing a 5-day Dutch Design Masterclass in Seoul from the 30th january until the 2nd of February. Colleagues Joost Roozekrans and Erik de Vlaam will fly in to teach. Want to take part? Sign up through the nuffic website. 

finger practice

To keep my fingers from going rusty while being busy mostly with business and other left brain activity, I started on a series of illustrations inspired by poetry. My favourite poem is by Mahmoud Darwish - the Eternity of the cactus.  The lyrical aspect makes for an abundance of visual clues. However well you can illustrate it, words still say more than a thousand lines and colors. 

guilder nostalgia and euro revenge

Ever since the introduction of the Euro, the One European Currency to End All Currencies, the Dutch (like most other EU citizens) have been permanently lamenting the demise of their previous currency, the Dutch Guilder. Not in the least because it killed our beloved Guilder notes, designed by Ootje Oxenaar. Now that the Euro is wobbling on its pedestal, one Dutch artist has come up with the ultimate revenge.

Click to read more ...

Living architecture

I love this initiative by Alain de Botton, philosopher/entrepreneur. Making top notch architecture available for anyone to enjoy, instead of staring at it from a distance: Living Architecture makes it possible for anyone to spend a few days in a masterpiece of modern architecture somewhere in the English countryside, for an affordable price. With homes by dutch architects MVRDV, and skandinavian masters like NORD and  Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects, what's not to enjoy! 

going East - again

Two years ago, I did an interview with Kitty de Jong for BNO's magazine Vormberichten, on my career and future plans. At the time, I was just about to start on an adventure in the Middle East. Two years later, with many lessons learned, I am embarking on an adventure in South Korea. So it was time for an update. Download part two of my career dossier (dutch only). 

money, speed and gold

At this years Dutch Design Awards, Catalogtree and the VPRO got away with gold for their amazing interactive documentary "Money and Speed: inside the black box". This was the first year ever that an entry from the communication category won the Golden Eye / Best of the Best. As a member the selection commitee, I was really really proud of this win! Fascinating content + good storytelling + beautiful design + great interaction. Well done. 

Lecture at Hong-Ik University

Prof. Don Cha invited me to give a lecture at the prestigious HongIk University in the vibrant student neighborhood HongDae. I spoke on work and play @StudioDumbar, what we think a designer's role can be, the ecology of Dutch Design, and why it has become world famous. In closing, I asked the students what they will do in the future for Korean Design, and how they will bring their own unique view to the world stage. A hundred students: there might be at least one who will change the game completely...

illustrations featured in arabesque 2

The lifesized illustrations I made at OrientationLab will be featured in Arabesque 2: graphic design from the arab world and persia, by Gestalten. Even though I'm not a designer from those regions, I am greatly inspired by the arabic and persian visual culture, and that shone through enough for the editors to include me in the edition. Edited by Ben Wittner and Sascha Thoma, available from September 2011.