Nikki Gonnissen, Netherlands

AGI member since 2012

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Nikki Gonnissen is director of studio Thonik, which she co-founded with Thomas Widdershoven in 1993. Thonik made visual identities and develops communication concepts and publicity campaigns for many cultural institutions like the Urbanism\Architecture Bi-city Biennale Shenzhen, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Spiral Art Center in Tokyo, Museum Marta Herford in Germany, the Architecture Biennale Venice, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, Manifesta 9 in Genk/Belgium and the Holland Festival in Amsterdam.

In the public sector the studio works for the Dutch Central Government, The Amsterdam Public Library, Broadcast Corporation VPRO and a major Dutch political party. With their work for this political party they show how design can enhance political debate and democracy.

As a designer, Nikki belongs to a group of engaged creatives that hold values such as empowerment, democracy, social justice and sovereignty in high regard. She is actively involved in the design debate about these values and initiates projects that touch upon these topics.

Nikki Gonnissen has been the International President of Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) from 2015 until 2018.

Design work by Nikki Gonnissen


    Nikki Gonnissen, Netherlands (2012)

    Nikki Gonnissen is director of studio Thonik, which she co-founded with Thomas Widdershoven in 1993. Thonik made visual identities and develops communication concepts and publicity campaigns for many cultural institutions...

    Read full biography
    Nikki Gonnissen, Netherlands (2012)

    Nikki Gonnissen is director of studio Thonik, which she co-founded with Thomas Widdershoven in 1993. Thonik made visual identities and develops communication concepts and publicity campaigns for many cultural institutions like the Urbanism\Architecture Bi-city Biennale Shenzhen, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Spiral Art Center in Tokyo, Museum Marta Herford in Germany, the Architecture Biennale Venice, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, Manifesta 9 in Genk/Belgium and the Holland Festival in Amsterdam.

    In the public sector the studio works for the Dutch Central Government, The Amsterdam Public Library, Broadcast Corporation VPRO and a major Dutch political party. With their work for this political party they show how design can enhance political debate and democracy.

    As a designer, Nikki belongs to a group of engaged creatives that hold values such as empowerment, democracy, social justice and sovereignty in high regard. She is actively involved in the design debate about these values and initiates projects that touch upon these topics.

    Nikki Gonnissen has been the International President of Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) from 2015 until 2018.

    Publications

    plus

    Galerie Anatomie Petit Journal No.6

    (2010)

    • Hugues Boekraad

    Uitgave Galerie Anatome

    Thonik A in Paris

    (2010)

    • Hugues Boekraad

    Institut Néerlandais

    Thonik en

    (2009)

    • Noriko Kawakami,
    • Thomas Widdershoven,
    • Nikki Gonnissen

    Kentro Oshita

    POWER thonik design

    (2008)

    • Hugues Boekraad,
    • Marina De Vries,

    O Art Centre

    Thonik, New Dutch Graphic Design #1

    (2001)

    • Ineke Schwartz,
    • Ed Van Hinte,
    • Gert Staal

    Bis Publishers

    Exhibitions

    plus

    Self-Unself

    2013

    Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven

    Group exhibition

    City of Interface

    2013

    Power Station of Art, Shanghai

    Group exhibition

    Thonik in Paris

    2013

    Centre Pompidou, Paris

    Part of the collection display

    Printed works

    2013

    Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

    Permanent collection

    Carpets

    2013

    Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam

    Permanent collection

    Thonik Alphabets

    2012

    Sera, Kyoto

    Solo exhibition

    Graphic Happiness in China

    2012

    Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing

    Group exhibition

    Printed work

    2012

    Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong

    Permanent collection

    Connecting Concepts

    2011

    Museu de Arte, Sao Paolo

    Premsela, Amsterdam

    Traveling group exhibition

    Printed works

    2011

    Museum of Modern Art, New York City

    Permanent collection

    Printed works

    2011

    Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai

    Permanent collection

    Thonik in Paris

    2010

    Galerie Anatome, Paris

    Institut Néerlandais, Paris

    Solo exhibition and installation

    Woordbeeld

    2010

    Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    Solo exhibition

    Thonik en

    2009

    Spiral Art Centre, Tokyo

    Solo exhibition

    Carpet Centraal Museum

    2009

    Museum of the Image, Breda

    Permanent collection

    Thonik: Made in China by You

    2009

    Graphic Design Museum, Breda

    Solo exhibition

    Power

    2008

    Power Station of Art, Shanghai

    Solo exhibition

    Thonik in Venice

    2008

    International Architecture Biennale, Venice

    Solo exhibition

    Festival International de l'affine et du Graphisme

    2008

    de Chaumont Awards, Chaumont

    Awards exhibition

    Printed work

    2009

    Centraal Museum, Utrecht

    Permanent collection

    Raad van Cultuur printed works

    2004

    San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

    Permanent collection

    Education

    plus

    Design tutor

    • Postgraduate

    2011 – 2014

    • Design Academy Eindhoven, masters department (The Netherlands)

    Guest lecturer, workshops, external advisor

    • Postgraduate

    2002 – 2014

    • Hogeschool der Kunsten Utrecht (the Netherlands)
    • Rietveld Academy Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
    • Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam (the Netherlands)
    • St. Joost Academy Breda (the Netherlands)

    Lectures

    plus

    Brand New Conference

    (2016)

    • Brand New Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    La Parole

    (2016)

    • Centre Pompidou Paris, France

    Graphic Empowerment

    (2016)

    • Grafist 20, Istanbul, Turkey

    DDP Forum Vol.3

    (2016)

    • Dongdaemun Design Plaza Seoul, Korea

    Design for Change

    (2015)

    • Lahe, Rio, Brazil

    AGI Open

    (2014)

    • AGI, Sao Paulo

    Graphic Empowerment

    (2014)

    • Weissraum Innsbruck, Austria

    Collective Conversation

    (2014)

    • Collective Design Fair, New York City, United States of America

    Babel #2, So Social

    (2013)

    • International Type Symposium hfg Offenbach, Germany

    AGI London: Paradise and Protest

    (2013)

    • AGI Congress London, United Kingdom

    Awards

    plus
    • 2016

    Tokyo Type Directors Club - Holland Festival 2015
    • 2012

    European Design Award - VPRO
    • 2007 / 2008

    Winner Ster Gouden Loeki Awards, Winner Rotterdam Design Price, Winner Dutch Design Award - SP
    • 2005

    Red Dot Award - Marta Herford
    • 2003

    D& AD - municipality of Amsterdam
    • 1998 / 1999

    ID Magazine - Eternally Yours Book. Honour: best of category

    Other Professional Activities

    plus
    • International committee Creative Industries Fund

      2012 – currently

    • Committee member Fonds BKVB

      2005 – 2008

    • Committee member Mondriaan Stichting, publications and design

      2003 – 2006