Design CommissionsDesign Commissions

For the exhibition text descriptions, Isabelle Vaverka has used a geometric sans-serif typeface reminiscent of the fonts commonly used in 1920s Germany. Because every character takes up exactly the same amount of space as all the others, the font creates a ‘mechanical’ atmosphere. This aesthetic dovetails seamlessly with Arntz’s infographics from the last century, from which Workwear’s mannequins might have escaped. As with the mannequins, the lettering nods to the themes of the exhibition in several ways. Here, too, the design is a contemporary translation of an era in which ‘the worker’ symbolized a dreamed-of equal society. We see a combination of functionality, craft, and a quirky and carefully developed concept.

The exhibition and exhibition chapter titles are written in a heavy sans-serif typeface that could almost be cast in concrete. It suggests heavy-duty materials, deceptively simple design and the importance of good visibility in hazardous working conditions.

Isabelle Vaverka works as a designer and art director in the cultural sector. Before founding her own design studio in 2021, she worked for studios in New York and Amsterdam. Her work is characterised by a conceptual approach and distinct use of typography, colour and photography. Besides her work as a designer, she is also an art director and regularly collaborates with photographers and filmmakers. Read more on her website.