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Otto Hendel (1820–1898) was a German publisher in Halle/Saale who took over the publishing house and book store founded by his grandfather Johann Christian Hendel (1742–1823) in 1768. In 1886, he founded the Bibliothek der Gesamt-Litteratur, “to make the best of the literary works produced by civilized nations, both past and present, available to the German people in attractive and affordable editions.” After thirty years, the library had grown to include 2,165 volumes.

Shown here is a translation of William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, published around 1890. Title and author’s name are set in two sizes of Fleischmann-Gotisch. Cut by Johann Fleischmann in the mid-18th century and known at Enschedé as Duits (or Duyts), it was later recut at Flinsch as Fleischmann-Gotisch and at Krebs as Holländische Gotisch. The word “von” is added in some Schwabacher. The grotesk caps used for the publisher’s name probably are custom drawn.

Formationen einer Grenze – (Un-)Sichtbarkeit in der Teilungsarchitektur der DDR is an exhibition shown from October 3, 2025 to January 30, 2026, at Gedenkstätte Deutsche Teilung Marienborn in cooperation with Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle.

The exhibition presents different approaches to examining border architecture on the inner-German border. The students at BURG do not only look at the structural architecture of the border. They also address complex questions of (in)visibility of architectural elements and their impact on society: What can still be made visible about the border today? The resulting texts are the outcome of an architectural history seminar with the German Division Memorial in Marienborn. All content was subsequently enriched with archive material from the memorial.

Hagel and Hagel Mono were used throughout the project, and Jost* was used for indexing, comments and numbers.

The publication Der Prozess ist der Parcours – Wie Antworten über Fragen staunen oder wie Spiele Wissen infrage stellen (“The process is the course”) is a publication and documentation of my Master project made at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle. It captures the process of the exhibition and the multimedia and participatory exploration of curiosity. It is about the potential, the downsides and the promotion of curiosity. It is an attempt to spatially represent this driving force, allowing for mishaps that enable moments of critical self-reflection and knowledge production, and methods that stimulate curiosity. In particular, it focuses on playing, questioning, establishing connections and moments of irritation.

The softcover publication has 128 pages and measures 125×185 mm. It comes with a silver scratch-off sticker and changing papers.

Typeset in EB Trainer Grotesk Regular by Antoine Elsensohn of Électro-bibliothèque,
Adelphe by Eugénie Bidaut of Bye Bye Binary, and HAL Timezone Mono by HAL Typefaces. Concept and design by Alexandra Vögtle.

This is the second edition of Auf der Suche nach Gatt (“Looking for Gatt”), a novel by Erik Neutsch (1931–2013), a writer from East Germany. The verso of the title page (not shown) says “© Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle (Saale), 1973” while in this edition we see 1974 on the title page and in the colophon. The cover is designed by Walter Schiller – a designer from East Germany, director of the Typography department at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, Leipzig (and also the co-author of Gestalt und Funktion der Typografie with Albert Kapr). The Gesamtherstellung (“overall production”) was provided by Märkische Volksstimme Potsdam (today Märkische Allgemeine) – a branch of the printing organ of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands), then the ruling party in the East Germany.

The front cover is set in Trump-Mediäval, assumedly size 14pt, and a dissected Egyptienne Bold Condensed (But how?).

Liberta it appears in at least six sizes in the book (see the last image).

Galgo Condensed is paired with stylized handwriting for the exhibition the moment you know, which presents nine artistic positions by young graduates of Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle. It was shown from September 14 to 29, 2024, at Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei. From the venue’s website (translated):

Claire Ebendinger, Maya Fenderl, José Madrigal Despaigne, Axel Orozco Möhl, Naomi Pietros, Anne Pruy, Emika Sekine, Daniela Trabold and Veronika Weber provide insights into their individual approaches. Above all, they raise the question of the closed nature of the artistic process. The activation in the space, the reaction of the visitors or the idea that each form is only one possible variation of many refer to the countless possibilities of artistic practice and at the same time to the diverse paths of the graduates after their studies. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, sound and video installations. Their interplay conveys an impression of how diverse the content-related and technical approaches and starting points of artistic work are and in turn creates new connections in the presentation. The works from the 2023/24 graduating class of the BURG Art Department were selected by an internal university jury consisting of Prof. Tilo Baumgärtel, Prof. Natalie Häusler, Prof. Philipp Gaißer and Elisabeth Würzl.

Das Bedürfnis e.V. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the arts and culture. Its goal is to adapt underutilized urban space for cultural uses. The first task was to turn the former Bedürfnisanstalt in Halle’s southern city center into a venue for events and exhibitions. As a venue for public dialogue and projects, the group strives to promote participation and remove barriers for the urban society.

The association required a visual image in order to establish itself in the fast evolving urban fabric with a strong recognition value. The mission of Bedürfnis e.V. was to share the program, the cultural self-image, and all contents with a large audience as clearly, easily, and without barriers as feasible.

Werkschau Mode 24 was the annual exhibition of student and graduation projects made in the Fashion program at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle. It was shown in July 2024 at Volkspark Halle. The typeface used for the posters and tickets is Bastardo Grotesk, supported by the art school’s custom Burg Grotesk.

Originally published by Doubleday as Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World, this is Büchergilde Gutenberg’s German edition of Anne Applebaum’s book about autocrats and how they use corruption, control, and propaganda to stay in power. It was translated by Jürgen Neubauer. Applebaum’s appeal to fight with optimism against anti-democratic powers was awarded the Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels 2024.

For the cover design, Clara Scheffler opted for AM Tripoli. Designed by Alessandro Bombieri, this all-caps display face is part of CAST’s Alfabeti Modernisti, a collection of revivals of Italian modernist wood and metal typefaces from the 1930s to 1940s, based on Luca Lattuga’s research. According to CAST,

Tripoli was produced as a wood type by Xilografia Italiana […] probably shortly after 1934, when the company was founded. We can assume this from the historical context, as Tripoli is the capital of Libya, and Mussolini instigated large-scale immigration of Italian settlers to Libya in the early 1930s (after a war against local insurgents in which Italian troops committed several war crimes).

The typeface likely was chosen for its pointed, aggressive-looking glyphs like the counterless A, the E with triangular middle bar, and specifically the angular S that resembles a mirrored Z. Such a lightning-shaped form evokes associations with all kinds of autocratic and downright fascist regimes, from the pseudo-runes of the German nazis and the British Flash and Circles symbol to parodies like the Z of megalomaniac Zorglub in the Spirou et Fantasio comics to, most recently, the “zwastika” Z symbol used by Russian troops in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine since 2022. The zig-zag motif is echoed by the red multiline pattern that runs under and over the typography.

The synopsis on the back cover is set in Futura. The blurb by FAS features more AM Tripoli, with a different sans used for the credit line.

Research and design by Anna-Lena Schmitt and Josephine Schröder in the context of a workshop format with the same name. They describe the project as follows (translated by the contributor):

We researched anger in the context of female socialisation. The aim of our work is to make anger visible. FLINTA* who have changed the world are rarely described as angry, although anger was often their driving force. Due to gender-specific historiography, FLINTA* lack both anger role models and the opportunity to be seen as such themselves.

The publication Wuträume (spaces of / for anger) documents our exploration of the topic. It takes you through the workshops and guides you through the thoughts, statements and emotions of the participants. The publication is a workshop to take away.

Set in Bastardo Grotesk by Giulia Boggio, Bianzhidai by Xiaoyuan Gao and Nomo Mono by Lea Johanna Becker.

Werkleitz is an association dedicated to facilitating the production and presentation of new media art projects that engage with social and artistic issues.

The Werkleitz Festival 2018 website was designed by Anja Kaiser and Knoth & Renner. Anja Kaiser is a prominent German communication designer known for her influential work in feminist circles. Knoth & Renner operate at the intersection of digital culture and graphic design, with a keen appreciation for technology and it’s visual impact.

They managed to reflect Werkleitz's values through its innovative design and functionality. Their collaboration resulted in a website that is both visually striking and user-friendly.

For the website's identity they combined two distinct typefaces: Suisse Neue, a slab serif by Swiss Typefaces, with Steinbeck, a (then new) sans serif by The Temporary State.

Suisse Neue is used for the sidebar on the left and all body texts, providing a clean and readable foundation.

Steinbeck is used for the header, the menu on the right and the informational sections throughout the website. When hovering over the typeface, it becomes slanted, inviting interaction. By clicking on it, an orange/black pop-up opens on the right side of the page, featuring photos and texts.

The color palette consists of bright hues like yellow and orange, contrasted with black and grey-silver. The website maintains a simple yet highly typographical design, ensuring a visually engaging and user-friendly experience.

The design choices reflect an emphasis on engaging visitors both visually and functionally, making the site not just an information portal but an integral part of the festival's identity.

Poster design for a lecture by Philipp Neumann and Karen Laube of MZIN at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle. Design by Markus Lange, using Marianne by Benoît Bodhuin.

Alex Vögtle and Lucas Kramer designed the scenography and brochure for the 2023 edition of the annual Burg Typo exhibition at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle. From Burg Typo’s Instagram post:

We asked our fellow students to describe their projects in terms of verbs and their doings and gathered them in an alphabetical list, which is foil plotted on the entrance windows. The list not only welcomes visitors, but also serves as an index to the typographic activities of the class presented in the room. An accompanying brochure with various covers offers a deeper engagement with the individual design processes.

The featured typefaces are Rosart by Camelot Typefaces, KTF Rublena by Kyiv Type Foundry and Burg Grotesk Mono by Andrea Tinnes.

The publication Wie kann CMYK durch die Kraft der 4 Elemente erweitert oder gar ersetzt werden? / How can CMYK be enhanced or even be replaced by the power of the 4 elements? was the outcome of a semester project of the experimental, analog printing seminar “4 Elements Printing” (winter semester 2021/22) as part of the ongoing research module Loose Library of Print at the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle and was produced onsite at the university’s offset print shop. Marion Kliesch headed the course at the time.

The publication was created by the students Fanny Liebhardt, Greta Much, Hyelim Kim, Jasmin Zehe, Leonardo Alliata, Lioba Wachtel, Lore Elstermann, Louise Holtz, Luisa Kaiser, Melanie Hauffe and Nadine Härting, with support of the university’s printing press staff: Frank Just, Robert Marschall, Matthias Schwenke, Frank Robrecht and Philipp Hoffmann. It was set in HAL Timezone, published by HAL Typefaces. Printing ink was sponsored by Epple Druckfarben AG and Jänecke+Schneemann Druckfarben GmbH. Before printing, the printing plates were manipulated in different ways, for example, by exposure to water, fire, earth and sun; bathing exposed plates in a river for two weeks; or scratching the surface with screw drivers, rotary tools or sandpaper.

From the seminar’s instagram post:

FIRE, EARTH, WATER and LIGHT – comparable to an environmental disaster, the four elements break into the high standards of offset printing like forces of nature. This is because the machines and materials are all finely calibrated and calculated to ensure a uniform print image. Therefore, in offset printing, great care is usually taken to keep all environmental influences, such as temperature and humidity stable and to exclude the disturbing influence of light or foreign bodies like dust.

For our experiments, however, we virtually challenged the “catastrophe”: We deliberately used the power of the four elements. To do so, we initially started with analog experiments, with which we tried to narrow down the extent to which the modern printing process can withstand extreme conditions.

Identity and posters designed for the Mahnmal Keupstraße, an anti-racist learning and memorial site in Cologne, Germany.

In Cologne, there is a fight for a memorial. It’s intended to commemorate the two right-wing terrorist bombings by the National Socialist Underground (NSU) – one in 2001 in Probsteigasse and another in 2004 in Keupstraße. In 2016, artist Ulf Aminde's proposal for a memorial was selected. However, it has not been realized to this day. The affected individuals, the artist, and initiatives have been fighting for the learning and memorial site at Keupstraße for more than eight years.

Over the past one and a half years, Marie Teigler, Lena Würsching, and Volker Buchwald – members of the Studiengruppe Informationsdesign at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle – developed a visual language for the memorial site and the website. This was done in collaboration with Ulf Aminde and in exchange with the initiative Herkesin Meydani – Platz für Alle,

On Sunday, June 9, 2024, marking the 20th anniversary of the attack in Keupstraße, the designers presented their work as part of the commemorative festival Birlikte, alongside Aminde (project management and conception) and headtrip immersive media GmbH (mobile UX design and augmented reality) on Keupstraße. The poem is by Aminde, the translation by Engincan Kumlalı.

Since 2009, it has become a good tradition for the Volkspark to become a reading stage. Well-known authors are guests at the Literatur im Volkspark series of events, which usually takes place in November in Halle, Germany.

Designed by Thea Kleinhempel, the posters and the program booklets for the 2022 and 2023 seasons are set in Bastardo Grotesk.

Jakob Nonnen's And the leaves that are green turn to brown was designed by Finn Reduhn and set in HAL Timezone, published by HAL Typefaces.

In a one-week seminar led by Prof. Dr. Pablo Abend at the Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle, the course participants took an in-depth look at Marc Augé's theory of “non-places”. In addition to reading and discussing the texts together, the participants also went in search of “non-places” in the vicinity of the university, conducted on-site field studies, and formulated their own essays on these places, recording what makes them “non-places” according to Augé's definition. The results, photographs and source documents from the seminar, were then compiled into a publication for the annual exhibition by Marie Teigler and Jakob Nonnen and published by the Design Studies Department of Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle.

Baghira by Identity Letters in its Regular style was chosen for the titles and markups and Archive Grotesk by Scifipoetry for the main text.

G2 TGR in use for the visual archive Inventory Of – an ongoing project by Georg Stahlbock and Fanny Liebhardt. As part of the Typo Archiv project at the Burg Giebichenstein art school, the students created an edition of zines and posters, to play with their archive of images and show the potential of the collection. From the Typo Archiv website:

The composition of the images suggests associations between different worlds. The order and logic is not immediately apparent, because the network of images arises from connections that escape an analytical thought process. This creates a complex system of references that are related in form, color and meaning and refers to the prior knowledge of the viewer. In an interaction, the themes and features complement and manipulate each other.

Series of ephemera for Werkleitz’ Masterclass programm. The visual identity was developed based on the Werkleitz logo and patterns that derived from RGB display layouts.

The Professional Media Master Class (PMMC) at Werkleitz has provided artists and filmmakers an opportunity to gain experience in creative documentary filmmaking and to qualify themselves for a media career. It seeks to close the gap between the numerous art and media B.A and M. A. courses on offer in Central Germany and the practical skills required day-to-day in professional life. The PMMC focuses on the combination of theoretical training and practical work experience necessary to master any field of work – from project development, research, via camera, sound, and montage to narrative structuring, sound design and mastering.

Between 2011 and 2014 the PMMC has trained 48 young artists and filmmakers from Central Germany. During the course, they made 22 short films, which were shown on national and international festivals such as Berlinale, Visions du Reel Nyon, FID Marseille, HotDocs Toronto and DOK Leipzig, as well as on public TV in Germany and have received altogether 12 international awards.

Poster template for events happening at Werkleitz in Halle (Saale). The space needs just a very few copies to advertise the event.

Berlin-based We make it developed a concept: a template with color blocks as empty text fields. The poster was printed in offset on coated paper, the information for each event is added on demand via Werkleitz’ copy printer using Maxima.