The foreign affairs of Dutch Design
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLING EXHIBITION ON DUTCH DESIGN

Soon to start travelling: a unique international exhibition on design from the Netherlands. The foreign affairs of Dutch Design boasts the successes that WAACS and other Dutch designers and design agencies have achieved abroad. The wayfinding system of bureau Mijksenaar on airports in the USA, the Bugaboo, the campaigns for Diesel by KesselsKramer, the stamps of Dick Bruna for the Japanese postal services, the lingerie by Marlies Dekkers: all that will be on display on various locations throughout the world in the next two years. Four WAACS designs will be traveling along: the Senseo coffee maker, the Marcel magazine holder for Alessi, PUSH medical braces and the Viktor & Rolf fashion label.

The initiative for the exhibition was taken by BNO, the Association of Dutch Designers, and Premsela, Dutch design foundation, supported by the Agency for International Business and Cooperation/EVD (part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs). The foreign affairs of Dutch Design is a welcome response to demands from foreign organisations and Dutch outposts for a contemporary presentation of Dutch design.

The exhibition will have its premiere in Studio 95 (The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane 95) from 23 to 26 September 2004 as part of the London Design Week at the invitation of the Dutch embassy in London. WAACS partner Joost Alferink will be signing autographs at the opening party in Studio 95.

Design historian and publicist Toon Lauwen (responsible for, among others, the Roadshow Dutch Graphic Design and the publication Dutch Design in the 20th century) will be the editor and curator. He is assisted by a selection committee consisting of Gert Hans Berghuis, designer, partner of the Fabrique design agency, Emmy of Gool, designer at Mountain Design, Ronald Lewerissa, designer/founder of design agency Flex/the Innovation Lab, Roelof Mulder, graphic designer; Gilian Schrofer, designer and Marcel Wanders, designer.

Gilian Schrofer (formerly active for Concrete and well-known for the Amsterdam Supperclub and De Lairesse pharmacy) is responsible for the exhibition design. Graphic design is by Thonik, noted for Visual Identity at the Utrecht Centraal Museum and the Amsterdam Museum Night).

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