Graphic designer Hansje van Halem (1978) gathered recognition with her distinctive typography and geometric, almost psychedelic illustrations built on complex patterns. Van Halem digitally scratches, draws or weaves her letters and designs stamps, posters and illustrations. Her design-experiments sometimes lead to commissioned applications for public space, including a border fence at the Dutch Schiphol Airport. Her work is in the collection of museum, amongst others Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (NL), Museum Meermanno / House of the Book (NL) and Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (CH). Since 2017 Hansje is the head designer of music festival Lowlands.

Passionate about typography, book design and print in all its forms, Hansje van Halem has run her own studio in Amsterdam since 2003. She works digitally, creating intricate typographic experiments that explore the tension between a systematic approach, legibility and irregularity. Fascinated by the interplay between pattern, texture and typography, Hansje van Halem had developed a distinctive style that bridges the gap between digital and print to suit her needs – she’s as comfortable generating striking visuals as she is experimenting with screen print and riso.

“Like a human algorithm, Hansje van Halem explores a huge number of variables until she finds the right ‘recipe’ for each project.” — Eye Magazine No 98 Volume 25, May 2019

Hansje is a keynote speaker at Design Manchester 19.