The Palace of Typographic Masonry

Graphic Matters

Exhibition | Graphic | Heritage | Research

In collaboration with Richard Niessen and the Grote Kerk Breda, Graphic Matters presents the new exhibition: Palace of Typographic Masonry. Posters, illustrations, animations, text, infographics, clothing, books, illuminated advertisements, videos … today, more than ever, we are surrounded by visual communication. We use pictures, gifs and emoji to express ourselves.

A closer look at visual language
In Palace of Typographic Masonry, graphic designer Richard Niessen collects graphic objects. Not just because they are beautiful, but because they are characteristic of the way graphic designers shape visual communication. From signs to ornaments, from methods and techniques to the history and practice of the craft.

Richard Niessen: “Fearing the disappearance of graphic culture, I created an imaginary Palace of Typographic Masonry. With it, I want to record all forms of visual communication through the ages. From the use of symbols to the invention of writing. One of my five goals is to show a rich and diverse landscape of voices and manuscripts.”

Pop-Up Museum
Since 2015, Richard has been working on Palace of Typographic Masonry, originally an imaginary museum. To make the collection accessible to everyone, he and Graphic Matters developed a mobile exhibition system and an audio guide through which he provides a personal commentary.

The pop-up museum consists of work by Dutch designers as Karel Martens, Hansje van Halem, Wim Crouwel, Harmen Liemburg, Experimental Jetset, Thonik, Moniker and Irma Boom. The designers Ott Metusala (EE), Farah Fayyed (LB), William Jacobson (SE), Edgar Walthert (CH), Benjamin McMillan (UK) and Åbäke (UK) are invited to create new work.

Exhibition ‘The Palace of Typographic Masonry’
Grote Kerk Breda
April 22 – June 18, 2023
graphicmatters.nl
www.richard-niessen.nl

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