The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023
Exhibition — Oct 19, 2024 until Jan 5, 2025
Every year, the Stedelijk Museum and the Stichting De Best Verzorgde Boeken present the entries selected by a jury, submitted by publishers of their previous year’s publications. The Netherlands has a rich tradition of exceptional book design, known for innovative design, lithography, printing, and bookbinding. This selection celebrates the best of Dutch graphic design.
382 books were nominated in 2023. The panels of industry professionals and students each chose 33 books, with 12 books appearing on both lists. Each jury assessed the balance between concept and execution, and the design of the publications. What was striking about this selection is that designers used a lot of neutral and earth tones, and well-known, inexpensive processes such as one-color printing, the Singer stitch (which uses a single thread), binding without a cover, and low-cost paper stock. These choices often go hand in hand with environmentally friendly options, like using leftover or recycled paper.
To complement this year’s selection, the Stedelijk is also showing two works by the American artist Ed Ruscha which demonstrate the innovative binding techniques found in many of this year’s books: Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966) and Dutch Details (1971).
-
Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij -
Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij -
Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij -
Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij
Trends and developments
The jury is under the impression that the hypes of silver printing on black paper and the use of fluorescent colors are a thing of the past. Two ongoing trends are the abundant use of slipcovers and a rise in the use of cassettes and sleeves. Another development is books with a Japanese binding, a trend that might be enjoying a revival, as the jury also noted the popularity of this binding in 2009.
The 2023 selection is proof that good book design doesn’t have to be expensive. Occasionally, designers choose innovative budget options but, on the whole, tend to pick well-known, cost-effective processes such as single-color printing, which they use to good effect. Overall, things are getting greener given that many of these design choices – such as using leftover paper stock or paper with a lower carbon footprint – are also eco-friendly. In which sense, the jury observes that economic and ecological constraints are no barrier to great book design.
About the selection
Most of the designs that were chosen – 24 books in all – are in the category of art, photography, and architecture. From this selection the student jury also chose 11 titles as the Best Book Design.
One book belongs to the category Prose, poetry, and graphic novels:
- Tosca by Maud Vanhauwaert. Design: Jelle Jespers, Frank August Gerard Martens | Production: Tim Beijer, Wilco BV | Books & Magazines | Publisher: Das Mag
One children’s/young adult book was selected:
- Manie Schaafijs by Zindzi Zevenbergen and Hedy Tjin (who also has an exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in 2025). Design: Lyanne Tonk | Production: Wilco BV | Books & Magazines, Benelux Bookbinders | Publisher: De Harmonie
Seven publications are informative books:
- De wereld in het klein by Caroline Waltman and Gloria Waltman Flore. Design: Koehorst in 't Veld (Joanne van der Wal) | Production: Pelle Poiesz, Marc Gijzen, Printsupport4you | Publisher: Noordboek.
- ICOON De geschiedenis van 'n onverbiddelijke BESTSELLER van Onno Blom en Jan Cremer. Design: Michaël Snitker | Production: Wilco Art Books | Publisher: KOMMA.
- Let's Become Fungal! by Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez. Design: Andrea Spikker | Production: Wilco Art Books | Publisher: Valiz.
- Radical Fashion Exercises by Laura Gardner, Daphne Mohajer va Pesaran. Design: Line Arngaard | Production: Wilco Art Books | Publisher: Valiz
- Reuse to Reduce by Jan Willem ter Steege et al. Design: Tariq Heijboer | Production: RaddraaierSSP | Publisher: Jap Sam Books
- Tonia Stieltjes by Esther Schreuder Design: Lyanne Tonk | Production: Wilco Art Books| Publisher: Waanders
- UNLICENSED: Bootlegging as Creative Practice by Ben Schwartz. Design: Ben Schwartz | Production: Wilco Art Books| Publisher: Valiz
You can see the full listing here
About the jury
Two juries picked the designs: a panel of book design, typography and publishing professionals, and a jury of students from leading graphic design academies in the Netherlands. The jury for the 2023 edition includes Bart De Baets (designer), Chafina Bendahman (co-founder and publisher, Rose Stories), Mariska Bijl (lithographer/quality, Wilco Art Books), Marc Lamain (design historian, writer of jury report), Lyanne Tonk (designer) and Esther Scholten (director of Stichting De Best Verzorgde Boeken, secretary of the jury).
There were two shadow juries to assess books in which jurors were involved. These included: Yolanda Huntelaar, Freek Kuin and Michaël Snitker; and Thomas Castro, Martijn Kicken, Ron van Roon and Astrid Vorstermans.
The exhibition of The Best Dutch Book Designs has a long-standing tradition at the Stedelijk Museum. The inaugural presentation was mounted in 1932, after which the exhibition has been held annually, with a few exceptions. The Best Dutch Book Designs is the oldest contest of its kind in Europe to be judged by an expert jury.
Paul Kuipers designed the exhibition concept of The Best Dutch Book Designs. Most of the books are available in the museum store, along with the catalogues published especially for this exhibition.The Best Dutch Book Designs is generously supported by ASF, Pictoright Amsterdam, paper supplier Igepa Netherlands, Tiel and L. van Heek Textiles. BNO is a long-term partner.
Curated by Stichting De Best Verzorgde Boeken and Thomas Castro (Stedelijk).