Karel Martens kicked off the AIGA/NY Fall Season on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at Tishman Auditorium.

Mathematics, repetition and algorithms play a strong influence in his work. 

He began his talk by explaining his interest in Vedic mathematics, the ancient system of solving any mathematical problem, and asymmetrical symmetry. “I was curious to see it,” he said.

Next, he showed how his interest influenced his work as he discussed calling cards that he designed for the Dutch PTT Telecom. “I’m crazy about numbers ,” he said as he discussed his approach to that commissioned work. Influenced by numbers, music and the mystery of colors, he said, “I’m crazy about working with color, and how working with primary colors can make all the colors of the world.”

He showed his process of creating a spreadsheet of letter and color combinations in order to print in four colors rather than singly.

Next, he talked about a commission to design a façade for a new printing factory in the Netherlands. The concept was to integrate typography as an integral part of the building by creating it in harmony with the function of the building. “The building is wrapped in a poem. The glass panels alternate, but you can read it horizontally,” he said.

Karel Martens talked about the importance of prototyping, “the first person you have to convince is yourself,” he said.

The next façade he discussed was a commission by a cultural center in Amstelveen. In approaching this project, he knew he wanted to work with the perception of color to take advantage of the glass that made up the entire building. Initially, the halftone dots were meant to be executed in silkscreen on double glass, however, when that execution was deemed too expensive, he discovered digital printing on transparent material.

“When you encounter problems, sometimes you can jump high,” he said, and explained how he made an alternate solution of vector outlines that was used in the final installation.

He used the same vector outlines to design a birth announcement of his grandson.

Once on a trip to Prague, Karel Martens visited a castle, where he noticed a pattern in the floor which comprised of 150 variations of the cross.

Immediately, he saw a similarity in his work.

Finally, he discussed his work for the Philharmonie concert hall in Haarlem. The motif was a visualization of music notations. Working with a composer, Karel Martens created a pattern of music that represented the created piece.

The music visualization was later represented in color, where he assigned a color to each of the four instruments.

An audience Q&A concluded the event.

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Karel Martens

Werkplaats Typografie

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AIGA/NY Karel Martens

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