NIESSEN, Richard
The Palace of Typographic Masonry

Welcome to The Palace of Typographic Masonry—an imaginary building founded by Dutch graphic designer Richard Niessen, that serves as a speculative platform for the variety, poetry and digressions of graphic design. This book continues a research project led by Niessen over different mediums, and various “exhibits” recreated over printed form. It reads as an ambitous alternative theory of typography and sign making as a  “craft”: the title tellingly refers to the freemasons and their symbolic system, where society is considered as a construction to be completed, and personal discovery as the objective of this process. 

Philosopher and writer Dirk van Weelden serves as the guide to the Palace throughout the book, while different contributors introduce to its 9 Departments: Sign, Symbol, Ornament, Construction, Poetics, Play, Order, Craft (with three Pavilions dedicated to Ed Fella, Niklaus Troxler, and Hendrik Wijdeveld), and Practice.

The book is structured by Niessen’s posters, specially designed for the occasion and printed in eight Pantone colours. All the 195 exhibits to be viewed in the spaces of the imaginary palace are displayed and explained on perforated cardboard sheets.

With contributions by Juan Luis Blanco, Matthijs van Boxsel, Tony Côme, Hansje van Halem, Nejc Prah, Fanette Mellier, Els Kuijpers, Moniker, Hans Oldewarris, Julius Vermeulen, Dirk van Weelden, Mienke Simon Thomas, Daniel Wiesmann, Harmen Liemburg.

Published by Spector Books, 2018
Design by Esther de Vries
Artists' Books / Graphic Design / Typography / Cultural Studies