‘Unbound’ accompanies Karel Martens’ first solo exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, bringing together a wide-ranging body of work Martens made and collected over the entire span of his decades long career. Containing works from the show, collaged, overprinted, and juxtaposed with elements found around his studio, the book balances between being an artist book and a catalogue. This publication, thoughtfully designed by Jordi de Vetten and Susu Lee in close collaboration with Martens himself, functions as a handbook to his work. But it’s an unconventional one: unstructured, non-hierarchical, playful, personal, and associative.
- 216 pages
- Illustrations: colour / b+w
- 6.5" x 9", English
- Published by Roma Publications
Karel Martens is a Dutch graphic designer, artist, and educator known for his experimental approach to typography and print. Since the 1960s, he has created everything from books and postage stamps to abstract letterpress monoprints made with found materials. Martens blends precision with play, often embracing chance and imperfection in his work. He co-founded the influential Werkplaats Typografie and has inspired generations of designers through both his teaching and his deeply considered, hands-on design practice.
