Ship of Fools

Ship of Fools was a gallery initiated by the studio to showcase graphic art and illustration. At its conception there were no galleries of this kind in the Benelux. Graphic art or illustration was never presented in the ‘white cube’ gallery context, yet it had the quality and skill to be. Ship of Fools presented work from established artists but also new, upcoming artists. Both international and local. It showcased work that was bold, honest and striking.

Ship of Fools helped to build the creative scene in The Hague providing a place holding regular exhibitions where people could go to enjoy new, exciting work. It was a way to share inspiration and talent.

The name Ship of Fools comes from the painting of Hieronymus Bosch, the first real character designer. The painting depicts a ship filled with fools wasting their lives playing cards, drinking, flirting, eating instead of spending it in ‘useful ways.

For now, the gallery is on pause while the studio focuses on the Flags of Peace foundation. An initiative gathering peace flag designs from across the globe in order to exhibit them.

Ship of Fools exhibitions:

2012

Deadorama | Solo exhibition by Mc. Bess

Bring it on! | Group exhibition of more than 50 designers and their favourite works

Trial & Error | Solo exhibition by Brecht Vandenbroucke

Going Places | Solo exhibition by Andy Rementer

Music to My Eyes | Group exhibition with 160 record sleeves

Black and White are not Colors | Group exhibitions of 100 designers and 100 posters in cooperation with fontanel.nl

2011

Really Shit | Solo exhibition by Ian Stevenson

Don’t Believe the Type III | Typography festival with workshops, lectures, exhibition | Niessen en de Vries, Mario Hugo, Sean Freeman, Si Scott, HORT, Jeff Canham, among others

2010

AnalogFest | Festival on analogue techniques with workshops, lectures, exhibition | Jon Burgerman, Anthony Burrill, among others

More is a Bore | Group exhibition on minimalistic graphic design | Buro Destruct, Noma Bar, Leandro Castelao, Gorilla, among others

Summer School | Group exhibition of old school maps | ROA, Ian Stevenson, Merijn Hos, among others

Absurdism is our Religion | Group exhibition on absurdism | Gummbah, Andrew James Jones and Mudwig, among others

Don’t Believe the Type II | Typography festival in Shanghai with workshops, lectures, exhibition | Underware, Trapped in Suburbia, Yomar Augusto, among others

Bode, Botlek, Erosie | Exhibition of Luuk Bode, Daan Botlek & Erosie

2009

Don’t Believe the Type I | Typography festival with workshops, lectures, exhibition | Alex Trochut, Luca Barcellona and Job Wouters, among others

Jackyll & Hyde | Solo exhibition Superoboturbo

You Give Me Fever | Solo exhibition of Erwin van Amstel

Ship of Fools | Opening group exhibition with Jon Burgerman, Andy Rementer, among others

Don’t Believe the Type

Don’t Believe the Type was established as an alternative to existing design festivals. At the time, such festivals were either incredibly expensive, too far away or very traditional, especially when focused on typography. Don’t Believe the Type (DBTT) was an opportunity for inhabitants of the The Hague and surrounding areas to meet other creatives, learn from and be inspired by international leading talents and have some fun, all at an affordable price.

Coinciding with the Ship of Fools gallery (also initiated and run by the studio) the festival featured lectures, workshops and exhibitions. The first edition took place in 2010 in The Hague, after which the festival was invited to the Shanghai World Expo in the same year. For the third and final edition, DBTT returned to The Hague in 2011.

Each edition centred on typography but pushed different themes. The final edition focused on sign painting and following this theme the identity used the talents of traditional Dutch sign painting, cheese signs. In cheese shops across the country and even into Belgium and Germany, hand painted signs adorn the various types of cheeses in thick, black lettering. All the promotion and signage for Don’t Believe the Type 2011 was hand painted by the actual, original cheese shop owner who made this practice notorious.

Don’t Believe the Type has hosted:

Luca Barcellona, Job Wouters, Yomar Augusto, Alex Trochut and Martijn Sandberg, 44 Flavours, Alina Günter, Alex Trochut, Alex Purdy, Andy Rementer, Autobahn, Chris Piascik, Daan Knirim, Hansje van Halem, Janno Hahn, Job Wouters, Jonathan Looman, Lennard Schuurmans, Luca Barcellona, Marta Cerdà Alimbau, Martijn Sandberg & Underware.