Max Kisman, Netherlands (2002)
Max Kisman (1953) pioneered with digital technology in the 1980s for magazines, book design, typography and illustration. His work for a.o. Vinyl music magazine, Paradiso, VPRO TV and Wired magazine...
Read full biography- Kismanstudio, Amsterdam, NL
- ByKisman, Amsterdam, NL
- KismanVerhaak, Amsterdam, NL
- Holland Fonts, Mill Valley, CA/Amsterdam, NL
- MKDSGN, Mill Valley, CA
- Wired Television, San Francisco, CA Hot Wired, San Francisco, CA
- VPRO Television, Hilversum, NL/VPRO Digital, Hilversum, NL
- MKDSGN, Barcelona, E
- Max Kisman studio, Amsterdam, NL
- Kisman&Timmermans, Bloemendaal, NL
Max Kisman (1953) pioneered with digital technology in the 1980s for magazines, book design, typography and illustration. His work for a.o. Vinyl music magazine, Paradiso, VPRO TV and Wired magazine in the 80s and 90s founded his "Complexity of Simplicity" approach. After living and working on and off in Amsterdam, Barcelona and San Francisco (USA), Kisman returned in 2006 back to Amsterdam. His practice covers illustration, graphic design, identities, typeface design, television graphics and education. His vision and influence is internationally recognized and appreciated by his peers and his work has been published worldwide. Kisman is member of BNO (Professional Association of Dutch Designers) and AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale).
Publications
Vlinder wijst de weg (Butterfly points the way)
(2016)
- Max Kisman
By Kisman
Sam flies. The wind whizzes in his ears. He lands in a clearing in the woods. There he sees a butterfly that glows. When he chases the butterfly, he gets lost. You're not lost though, a bear, a whale and a raven say, Butterfly always points the right way. They take him on an adventure until he comes back to where his journey began.
I am a slave of your freedom
(2014)
- Max Kisman
By Kisman
‘I am a slave of your freedom’ includes the short cartoons ‘The lost hat that was found again’ and ‘The shadow of your smile.’ The third story ‘I came by boat’ is the description of the triptych ‘Ancestral Migration’ in three scenes: ‘The lost kingdom‘, ‘The symmetry of life’ and ‘Sons and heirs’. The first edition of 75 copies in Dutch and 75 copies in English is released for the occasion of the exhibition ‘Indonesian DNA‘ in CODA museum, Apeldoorn, NL
Word of Image
(2012)
- Jan Middendorp,
- Frans Oosterhof,
- Gert Staal,
- Max Kisman
Nijhof & Lee, Amsterdam
Word or Image is an impression of visions and work of fifty Dutch and American graphic designers, type designers, visual artists and writers. They have in common that the theme of the book - metaphorical thinking - implicitly or explicitly in their work plays a role. Word and Image is the description of the visual words and creates the space in which words can be images. The visual poetry in a language that stimulates the imagination and pushes the boundaries of reality.
Exhibitions
Das tragische Schicksal de Heldentums
2020
Moving Gallery, Utrecht
Solo exhibition
Sex Only – The Max Kisman Diary Documents 1987-2017
2018
Meermanno Museum, Den Haag
Exhibition accompanying book with the same title. A selection of 30 years of diary drawings.
Voor altijd jong (Forever young), Fiep Westendorp and Max Kisman
2016
WG Kunst, Amsterdam
In 2016, Fiep Westendorp - the creator of Jip and Janneke - would have become 100 years. For the children’s book week (5 - 16 October, theme grandfathers and grandmothers) the iconic images of Fiep will be shown at WG Kunst in Amsterdam. Max Kisman takes a significant part in the exhibition with an installation: how would Jip and Janneke look like if they would be an aged grandfather and grandmother. There also will be a wall-filling wallpaper with the work of Fiep Westendorp and Max Kisman.
Célébrer la terre
2015
Champs Elysées, Paris
Miffy Art Parade
2015
Museumplein, Amsterdam
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of miffy (nijntje), a hugging boy and girl were painted on a 5'10" (1.80 m) model of miffy.
Fête du Graphisme
2014
, Paris
Indonesian DNA
2014
CODA and ACEC, Apeldoorn
For the exhibition Max Kisman designed and produced te triptych ‘I Came By Boat’ with cotton Jacquard woven tapestries ‘The Lost Kingdom’, The Symmetry Of Life’ and ‘Heirs and Sons’, reflecting his lost ancestral heritage. Kisman also designed the exhibition poster.
Max Kisman Time Spirit
2013
Lenoirschuring Printers, Amstelveen
Solo exhibition
Max Kisman Beeld Taal
2013
GR-ID, Groningen
Solo exhibition, curated and designed by Karin van der Heiden (ParkC.nl).
Indomania 4
2012
Melkweg, Amsterdam
Quintych Bloodline, banners
Grafist 16
2012
Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul
International graphic designers exhibitions as part of the symposium and workshops with Andrea Dezsö, Elisabeth Kopf, Max Kisman, Nermin Er - Turgut Akaçık
The complexity of Simplicity
2009
Erasmushuis, Jakarta
Solo exhibition
Indomania 3
2008
Galerie Malasch, Amsterdam
Drawings
Roam is my Home
2006
CM Studio, Utrecht
Interactive internet exhibition/event of one week in CM Studio, Centraal Museum Utrecht. Continuous updates of ten artists world wide were constantly projected as ten windows on the world. Visitors could login to the system and interfere with their messages and images. A daily program consisted of live art and music by invited artists, presentations and panel discussions.
Diga – Image en Text
2006
Jan Knigge Boek & Galerie, Hengelo
Works by Max Kisman en Frans Oosterhof
Education
Teacher
- Undergraduate
2011 – 2012
- KABK Royal Academy The Hague (the Netherlands)
Letterform in editorial context
Teacher
- Undergraduate
2012 – 2012
- Design Academy Eindhoven (the Netherlands)
Free style type design in editorial context
Teacher
- Undergraduate
2007 – 2009
- Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Beeld en Taal (the Netherands)
Typographic digitally animated poetry
Teacher
- Undergraduate
2006 – 2006
- HKU Utrecht Art College (the Netherlands)
Graphic design
Teacher
- Undergraduate
2000 – 2005
- California College of the Arts, San Francisco (The United States)
Graphic design, animation, type design, typography, drawing
Teacher
- Postgraduate
1992 – 1993
- Jan van Eyck Academy (the Netherlands)
Animation, computer
Teacher
- Undergraduate
1986 – 1989
- HKU Utrecht Art College (the Netherlands)
Graphic design, typography, drawing, computer
Teacher
- Undergraduate
1984 – 1986
- Gerrit Rietveld Academy (The Netherlands)
Graphic design
Lectures
The Complexity of Simplicity and the creative process
(2015)
- De.Sign5 series at Instituto Cervantes, Prague, Czech Republic
- De.Sign5 series at Faculty of design, Ladislava Sutnara University, Pilzen, Czech Republic
Ancestral migration and the influence of Wayang Kulit
(2014-2015)
- Inkfest, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- CODA, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands
- AGI Open, São Paulo, Brazil
I am a lousy musician, I can’t sing and I don’t care
(2015)
- Music Art and Design Festival, Deventer, the Netherlands
Digital natives and digital immigrants; exploring the territory
(2014)
- Art College Utrecht, HKU, the Netherlands
The animated image as editorial form
(2014)
- Image Festival, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
The graphic language of Max Kisman
(2013)
- Gr-Id, Groningen, the Netherlands
The complexity of Simplicity
(2009-2013)
- Lenoirschuring printers, Amstelveen/The Netherlands (2013)
- Orange and Green, Dublin/Ireland (2013)
- Grafist 16, Istanbul/Turkey (2012)
- , Rijeka/Croatia (2012)
- Studium Minerva, Groningen/The Netherlands (2012)
- Art College St. Joost, 's Hertogenbosch/The Netherlands (2012)
- Emzin Institute for Creative Production, Ljubljana/Slovania (2010)
- Papier Komplizen, Zürich/Zwitserland (2010)
- BNO Noord, Groningen/The Netherlands (2009)
A letter can be anything, anything can be a letter (lecture and workshop)
(2004-2012)
- Grafist 16, Istanbul/Turkey (2012)
- IKJ Art College Jakarta, Jakarta/Indonesia (2009)
- Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam/The Netherlands (2008)
- CCA, San Francisco CA/USA (2005)
- VCU, Richmond VA/USA (2004)
Music and design
(2010)
- BNO Design Tallks, De Zwijger Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The graphic language of Max Kisman
(2010)
- Illustratie Biennale, Haarlem, the Netherlands
Designing or Typographic Matchmaking
(2009-2010)
- Khatt foundation, Amsterdam/The Netherlands
- AGI congress, Istanbul/Turkey
- Khatt foundation, Dubai United Arab Emirates
Agencies
Awards
2016
2010
2010
1996
1996
1989
1988
1998
1988
Other Professional Activities
Jury Fiep Westendorp Awards, Amsterdam NL
2015 – present
Work field advisory board KABK, the Hague NL
2015 – present
Jury Fiep Westendorp Awards, Amsterdam NL
2013 – present
Jury IDI Awards, Dublin, IRE
2013 – present