By Katie Dominy / 02-06-2011

A hit at the Breda festival, Ongoing is a series of 43 posters designed by recent graduates, with each poster a representation of one of the 43 statements that make up international creative Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, published in 1998. 

An idea brought to life by studio GVD, the Chaumont festival now offers the opportunity to show the work to a larger international audience.

GVD is made up of the three designers Guus Gijben, Vera Verberne and David Paans, who all graduated in 2009 from AKV St. Joost in Breda, and work collectively on projects, whilst keeping their own individual identity. In their own words, they took advice from three points from Mau's manifesto: they worked together (16), presented themselves as leaders (10) and stood on the shoulders (23) of design guru Bruce Mau.

Design.nl asked GVD how they first came across Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth?
"During our study at the art academy we came across the manifesto. We immediately found it very inspiring and refreshing. At first we had plans to use it for a small project with our classmates at the time, but it never really got to that. After graduating the three of us decided to start a collective, to occasionally initiate projects together. When Graphic Design Festival Breda 2010 came up, we contacted the festival to tell them about our idea. They turned out to be as enthusiastic as we were, so that's when we started the project."

How did you pick the 43 designers?
"We wanted to create a platform for designers such as ourselves, recently graduated from different art academies in the Netherlands. We thought it was important to expand our network and so we approached designers that we didn't know yet. We looked at websites, magazines, graduation shows and catalogues, to find inspiring young designers."

Did the designers each choose a statement, or did you choose them for them?
"We sent the briefing to each designer with one statement. We randomly selected a statement for a designer. We thought the challenge would be more fun if they would get a briefing with one statement. We encouraged them to interpret the statement in their own way. No limits, just that the result would have to be a A0 print document. We were pleasantly surprised with the positive reactions and beautiful results."

"The exhibition design is a little different this time, adjusted to the available space. But the posters are exactly the same. We are very pleased that Graphic Design Festival Breda decided to adopt our project after the exhibition in 2010, so it could be shown at the International Poster and Graphic Design Festival in Chaumont."

Can each of you tell us which is your a favourite statement and why?
Guus Gijben: "no.35 --- Imitate. Don’t be shy about it. Try to get as close as you can. You’ll never get all the way, and the separation might be truly remarkable. We have only to look to Richard Hamilton and his version of Marcel Duchamp’s large glass to see how rich, discredited, and underused imitation is as a technique.--- This would be my favorite statement because when you imitate something or someone this is like a tribute. You try to come as close as possible you can get to the original. Just trying to experience the sublime of the original by acting the same."

Vera Verberne: "no.33 ---Take field trips. The bandwidth of the world is greater than that of your TV set, or the Internet, or even a totally immersive, interactive, dynamically rendered, object-oriented, real-time, computer graphic–simulated environment.--- As a designer I love to take my research outdoors; bring my camera, take photos, interview people, experience different places, get away from the computer. This gives you so many more angles to approach a project."

David Paans: "no.5 --- Go Deep. The deeper you go the more likely you will discover something of value.--- This statement reminds me of the fact that as a designer I want to remain critical to design solutions, ideas and questions from clients."

What was the reaction to Ongoing at Chaumont?
"In Breda as well as Chaumont we got very positive reactions. Many people find the manifesto as inspiring as we did. The participating designers all have a different approach, so it turned out to be a very diverse visual document. Besides creating a new version of the manifesto Mau wrote in 1998, the project also provides insight into the design mentality of a young generation of designers."

GVD is based between the trio's homes in Bilthoven, Tilburg and Rotterdam. They tell us: "We do not have an office, but meet each other at home, in a cafe, museum or park. We don't work together on a daily basis, but meet occasionally (depends on how busy we are) to talk about our projects. This way there's always a new idea to discuss. Besides GVD we work as independent graphic designers. During our meetings we often discuss our individual projects together. Keeps us motivated! At this point we just finished the publication and exhibition Ongoing in Chaumont. We have a lot of ideas for new projects, but they still need working on."

"Our goal is to keep initiating and realizing new GVD projects and next to that, continuing our work as independent graphic designers."

There is also a book available of all the posters and the exhibition continues until June 05 at laFabrique as part of the Chaumont Festival.

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