Toen

Typ/Typographic Paper is initiated by Kisman on an obscure, but vibrating birthday party of Mertens and Dietvorst on a hot and sweaty August night in 1986.
photo: Hans Hendriks

Kisman declared war to the current state of design, typography and taste of the Dutch aesthetic elite in a strong and hartwarming speech.

By smashing a milk bottle with the zero issue of TYP against the edge of the chimney in the lounge, TYP was born.
Soon the official TYP was formed by editors Dietvorst, Groenendijk, Kisman, Maas and Mertens. A while later Jongstra joined.
The following years the group produced a number of publications on the broad field of design, typography, art, visuals and literature. As the slogan says: TYP informs and opiniates about the image in design, art and literature.

For TYP, it’s design or representative form is of no importance. TYP looks sober and simple, not designed and accessable. The quality of content is it’s identity.

TYP takes a special place in the debate on good taste in design and typography and is appreciated for it’s platform function. TYP is a voluntary activity and is supported by a large number of creative minds and sponsors in the field of the graphic industry.
Between 1986 and 1990 TYP officially published 6 regular issues

photo: Hans Hendriks

(#A -#E, always in a limited edition of 500 copies), 2 secret (summer, winter) issues and 1 special ‘Fax of Live’ issue.
After a difference of opinions, TYP #E a carton box with individual contributions of the editors, was the ‘Let it be’ publication of the group.
In the following years the only activities were taken for the Small Publishers Fair, every december in Paradiso, Amsterdam. This resulted in the ‘Fax TYP’ issue, ‘Tape TYP’ issue and ‘TYP goes for the crowd’ issue. In the summer of 1992, TYP published one week, every day a daily newspaper.
Especially these days, while useless information and bad taste in design and visuals is pouring out of our screens, TYP seems to be more nessecary than ever before.