Karel Martens Unbound – Inspiration between system and playfulness

How Dutch Design surprises and renews – now on view at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

During our group visit we explored Unbound, the exhibition of Karel Martens at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. From the moment we walked in, we were immersed in a colorful, rhythmic world of posters, reliefs, and experimental typography.

What immediately stands out is the way Martens combines strictly organized systems with playfulness and surprise. Each design invites you to look longer; new details keep emerging. The subtle disruptions in his compositions fascinate again and again.

His work feels like a laboratory, where experimenting, failing, and trying again are just as important as the end result. That gives the exhibition a personal and human dimension: beauty does not arise from perfection, but from play and exploration.

Sieds de Boer, (curious) Strategy Director at Total Design, captures it well:

“Karel Martens’ work reminds us that true innovation in branding and design emerges where experimentation, craftsmanship, and curiosity come together. His free approach – giving space to chance, reuse, and rhythm – challenges us to put the process itself at the center, and to see design not as an end product, but as an ongoing exploration of meaning and impact.”

The visit also sparked conversations within our group: how can you create more room for experiment in your own work? How does order relate to distinctiveness – and even to freedom?

For Ellen van de Sande, Creative Director TD Cascade, the exhibition struck a personal chord:

“The exhibition took me back to the beginning of my career and my time at art school. It’s fantastic to see how graphic design can be approached and applied in so many different ways. In the midst of a busy workweek, visiting the exhibition together was an inspiring moment. I loved seeing how the personal fascinations and inner world of one designer could be brought to life on such a large scale.”

By breaking traditions with color, material, and composition, Martens bridges craft and experimentation. In doing so, he shows that relevant graphic design distinguishes itself through individuality, freedom, and the courage to start over again and again.

Karel Martens – Unbound is on view at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam until October 26, 2025. Highly recommended for anyone looking to be inspired by the power of design.