Off the Grid, video interviews for Design Museum Gent, 2019

Interview with Sophie Alouf, Brussels, 21 August 2019
Interview with Rob Buytaert, Antwerp, 6 August 2019
Interview with Herman Lampaert, 5 August 2019
Interview with Boudewijn Delaere, Kortrijk, 9 August 2019
Interview with Paul Ibou, Zoersel, 8 August 2019

Off the Grid (video interviews)

Date:
2019
Client:

Design Museum Gent

With:

Simon van der Zande

Funded by:

HOGENT Arts Research Fund

Keywords:

These video interviews were made for the exhibition Off the Grid: Belgian Graphic Design from the 1960s and 1970s as Seen by Sara De Bondt at Design Museum Gent (25.10.2019 – 16.02.2020).

The exhibition explored the origins of graphic design in Belgium in the 1960s and 70s, a history which has largely been undocumented. It staged a wide and rich array of printed matter, logo objects, self-published book sculptures and poster designs — most of them never exhibited before — by designers such as Paul Ibou, Corneille Hannoset, Boudewijn Delaere, Sofie Alouf, Rob Buytaert, Herman Lampaert and Jeanine Behaeghel among many others.

The works on display were contextualised by my own experience as a practising graphic designer today and explored how contemporary aspects of graphic design, such as hybridity and authorship, can be better understood from a historical perspective. Several new works were produced for the exhibition, and together with furniture designer Michael Marriott, a new display system was created.

Many designers of the generation featured in this exhibition were rightly concerned about what would happen to their work and their legacy. The designers themselves tell their stories, capturing and preserving a valuable piece of knowledge about the history of Belgian graphic design.

The project was part of my PhD research in the arts at KASK & Conservatorium (HOGENT - Howest) and funded by the HOGENT Arts Research Fund.