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Esther Cleven holds the special chair of Modern Typography and Graphic Design at the Faculty of Humanities. This chair is granted by the Association of Dutch Designers (Beroepsorganisatie Nederlandse Ontwerpers, BNO) and is part of the Research group Book Studies and the Research group History of Art of the Modern Period.
Cleven is a curator at the Graphic Design Museum in Breda that has been opened in 2008 and been a member of its founding team since 2001. She acts regularly as an advisor for institutions, foundations and researchers in the field of (graphic) design heritage, history and education. Before she has been affiliated to the Research-programme 'Dutch Culture in European Context' of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and worked as a teacher, curator, and advisor for Art and Design. Cleven studied the History of Art, Architecture and Archaeology at Dusseldorf, Munich and Groningen, and received her PhD in Art History at Utrecht University.
Main interest of her activities is to broaden the view on the history of graphic design in terms of context and subject, and to develop design research infrastructure and talent. Cleven fosters de-mystifying perspectives from outside the design profession itself, and seeks to bridge over the various, sometimes diverging approaches to the subject. As an art historian Cleven is interested in the production and function of non-artistic imagery, especially in the context of the modern, highly organised, commercial and technological society.
Current research is focused on the historiography of graphic design in relation to design history and socio-economic history of the 20th century. At present, research is revolving around the role of the medium and the effect of the democratisation of mass-media in visual communication, especially after World War II. Another point of interest is the place of popular visual culture and graphic design within image sciences, and the tension between design and visual communication. For the museum Cleven is researching the problem of presenting design processes to the public and the work of Anthon Beeke.
Cleven established the inter-institutional 'Grade - Network for beginning graphic design historians' in order to enable young researchers to connect, broaden their view and develop a more professional research practice. Furthermore, working with students at university as well as at the museum, Cleven tries to educate young design historians who prove to be able to understand graphic design as a part of a cultural history and a 'Mentalitätsgeschichte' as well as of a socio-economical history.
Graphic Design Museum
June 11, 2008: Graphic Design Museum geopend door koningin Beatrix (video)
BNO
Book History at UvA
Art History at UvA |
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