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The Debate: The Legendary Contest of Two Giants of Graphic Design
The first English translation of a famous 1972 debate between Dutch graphic designers Wim Crouwel and Jan van Toorn, a public clash of subjectivity versus objectivity at Amsterdam’s Museum Fodor that helped set the stage for bold philosophical showdowns to come in design culture.
Held in response to an exhibition of Van Toorn’s work at Stedelijk Museum, including student posters protesting the Vietnam War—in an era of youth culture and increasing resistance to authority, capitalism, and the power of media—the stakes were aesthetic, ethical, and politically charged.
Crouwel defended his approach of neutrality and austere rationalism, attention to typography and worksmanship, and professionalism in service of the client’s message. Van Toorn argued for his use of chaos, collage, and photographs of everyday life; that a designer’s ideas, personality, and political commitments are integral to the work.
Dialogue on The Debate has reverberated in graphic design circles for the four decades since, and it is often referenced in modern design criticism as a key marker for the philosophical positions that continue to define the profession. The first English transcript of this key event in design history will allow a contemporary audience to discover the ongoing relevance of The Debate in an increasingly complex visual culture.
Along with the transcript, this pocket-sized clothbound book contains a foreword by prominent design critic Rick Poynor, and essays from Dutch design historian Frederike Huygen, who discusses the historical context of the debate, and curator Dingenus van de Vrie, who looks more closely at these two giants’ different perspectives on graphic design. A color gallery juxtaposes a representative selection from the oeuvres of Crouwel and Van Toorn, including exhibition designs, calendars, posters, brochures, artist book designs, postal stamps, and fascinating works such as the script of a 1969 stage production based on a story by Jorge Luis Borges, sealed in a tin can, and a many-gatefolded catalog for Ed Ruscha’s “Dutch Details” at Groninger Museum.
Held in response to an exhibition of Van Toorn’s work at Stedelijk Museum, including student posters protesting the Vietnam War—in an era of youth culture and increasing resistance to authority, capitalism, and the power of media—the stakes were aesthetic, ethical, and politically charged.
Crouwel defended his approach of neutrality and austere rationalism, attention to typography and worksmanship, and professionalism in service of the client’s message. Van Toorn argued for his use of chaos, collage, and photographs of everyday life; that a designer’s ideas, personality, and political commitments are integral to the work.
Dialogue on The Debate has reverberated in graphic design circles for the four decades since, and it is often referenced in modern design criticism as a key marker for the philosophical positions that continue to define the profession. The first English transcript of this key event in design history will allow a contemporary audience to discover the ongoing relevance of The Debate in an increasingly complex visual culture.
Along with the transcript, this pocket-sized clothbound book contains a foreword by prominent design critic Rick Poynor, and essays from Dutch design historian Frederike Huygen, who discusses the historical context of the debate, and curator Dingenus van de Vrie, who looks more closely at these two giants’ different perspectives on graphic design. A color gallery juxtaposes a representative selection from the oeuvres of Crouwel and Van Toorn, including exhibition designs, calendars, posters, brochures, artist book designs, postal stamps, and fascinating works such as the script of a 1969 stage production based on a story by Jorge Luis Borges, sealed in a tin can, and a many-gatefolded catalog for Ed Ruscha’s “Dutch Details” at Groninger Museum.
- GenresDesign
184 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2015
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115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 17, 2018
The moment I remembered this book I was really happy. My friend, Annelous, told me about it in the first year of the academy and she must have thought it is a great moment to read it.
She must be right, because reading it now, just before the third year, it gave me a lot of insights. It also opened more questions, but this is all natural, I suppose. Reading what these two great designers have in mind when they work and the way they defend their philosophies was a great pleasure.
The complementary essays of Rick Poynor, Frederike Huygen and Dingenus van de Vrie were not only amazing, but I would say, necessary. Without their explanation is hard to get into the context of the debate.
What I didn't like in the book is mainly personal, but namely the Debate itself. It was too short. It is a peculiar criticism, but I was really hoping the conversation went a little bit longer than half an hour of chit-chat. In their defense, however, they did present their arguments eloquently and with great zeal. Perhaps this was all my fault, because I had specific expectations.
The design of the book was another point. Overall, it was very sensible: small size, easy to handle; nice paper, easy on the eyes and the touch; inclusion of images, 10 points!
However, I didn't understand the way some pictures were treated. They were either very small or printed poorly. Also the texts were edited in a weird way, sometimes missing articles or words, which made it confusing.
She must be right, because reading it now, just before the third year, it gave me a lot of insights. It also opened more questions, but this is all natural, I suppose. Reading what these two great designers have in mind when they work and the way they defend their philosophies was a great pleasure.
The complementary essays of Rick Poynor, Frederike Huygen and Dingenus van de Vrie were not only amazing, but I would say, necessary. Without their explanation is hard to get into the context of the debate.
What I didn't like in the book is mainly personal, but namely the Debate itself. It was too short. It is a peculiar criticism, but I was really hoping the conversation went a little bit longer than half an hour of chit-chat. In their defense, however, they did present their arguments eloquently and with great zeal. Perhaps this was all my fault, because I had specific expectations.
The design of the book was another point. Overall, it was very sensible: small size, easy to handle; nice paper, easy on the eyes and the touch; inclusion of images, 10 points!
However, I didn't understand the way some pictures were treated. They were either very small or printed poorly. Also the texts were edited in a weird way, sometimes missing articles or words, which made it confusing.
April 29, 2025
Placing Two strands of design against each other to form a comparitive analysis of what is best for Graphic Design and how it relates to wide society and it's place in political and artistic communication.
September 12, 2019
Wish i'd read this as a student. Useful to have the examples at the back.
Difficult to known what to say about the cover in response to the content, design desperate to justify a budget.
Difficult to known what to say about the cover in response to the content, design desperate to justify a budget.
July 22, 2021
good read, wasn't a huge fan of the intro tho
March 13, 2024
Super interesting read
January 6, 2019
jvt = subjective wc = objective
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2016
it's cool. van toorn is the clear winner. cool to read the whole thing and their work is of course amazing, but really only for the nerds.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews