Peter Struycken

Peter Struycken designed an iconic (and still-circulating) Dutch postage stamp in 1980, which bears a computer-generated image of Queen Beatrix composed of hundreds of tiny, randomly colored dots. In explaining his choice, Struycken says, “My use of dots in the representation of the portrait is related to my drawings and prints in which the dot is the smallest representation of color, and in itself, yields the least association with form.” A computer-design pioneer well known for his large-scale public projects, Struycken is one of the Netherlands’ most innovative artists. In 1993, he was commissioned to design the arcade lighting for Jo Coenen’s Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam and the tile and color scheme for Carel Weeber’s “De Struyck” student apartments in the Hague. This publication is the most comprehensive Struycken overview to date. It features illustrations of more than 80 of his most significant projects from 1955 to the present. Several incisive essays (by Carel Blotkamp, Daniel Dekkers, Jonneke Jobse and Ruud Schenk) contribute to our understanding of Struycken’s methods and theories--especially about color. Included with the volume is a CD-ROM, which allows us to experience Struycken’s fascinating work in 360-degree panorama shots.