Hansje van Halem

Hansje van Halem (born 1978) is a Dutch graphic designer and type designer. Her work is typified by geometric, repetitive, sometimes almost psychedelic patterns. She works at the intersection of text, illustration, pattern, colour, texture, distortions, interruptions, variations, symmetry, systematic approach and irregularities.[1] Van Halem combines the more open rules of patterns with the tighter ruleset of typography and explores the boundaries of type design. She uses the viewer’s distance to the work to move at the edge of legibility and non-legibility. In her understanding background and type should become one layer. Important to her are the process itself, “playing” around and working with trial and error. Her commissions rather revolve around the creation of identities, whole covers and patterns than individual fonts.[2]

Hansje van Halem
Born	1978 (age 44–45) Enschede, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation(s)	graphic designer, type designer
Years active	2003-present

Hansje van Halem studied graphic and typographic design at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague from 1998 to 2000. In 2003 she subsequently graduated in Graphic Design from the Rietveld Academy. Since 2003 she has her own studio in Amsterdam. She also gives lectures, workshops, teaches and exhibits since 2003.[3]

Van Halem's designs have been exhibited in many museums, mainly in the Netherlands and the United States.[4] In 2017, a solo exhibition of her work took place at the Bijzondere Collecties van de Universiteit van Amsterdam.[5] Works by Hansje van Halem are included in the collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

Since 2017, she has been the head designer of the Lowlands festival, for which she works with programmers and animators.[6] In 2018, she received a Dutch Design Award for her Lowlands designs.[7]