May 27th, 2026
Design Between Systems and Experiment – Double Book Release
On Friday, May 29, an evening at the Klingspor Museum (Offenbach) will bring together two publications that explore how systems and experiments continue to shape contemporary graphic design.
At the center of the event are Play the System. Approaches in Graphic Design, edited by Heike Grebin and published by Slanted Publisher, and Karl Gerstner: Der Traum vom Absoluten by Jonas Deuter, published by Verlag Kettler.
Digital tools, algorithms, and systems increasingly influence not only the visual outcome of design, but the creative process itself. In many contemporary practices, designers are no longer defining every single detail directly; instead, they create the frameworks, rules, and parameters through which design can emerge.
© 2026 Troppo Design (Plakat) & Vornholt, Bähner, Trogisch (Fotos)
Both books approach this shift from different perspectives. Play the System (which also includes Tom Bieling) examines selected examples from design history and education to show how changing individual parameters can lead to a wide range of outcomes, opening space for variation, experimentation, and unexpected results. Karl Gerstner: Der Traum vom Absoluten looks at Gerstner’s design methodologies and their ongoing relevance for contemporary artistic and design practices, focusing on his ambition to rationalize and systematize the design process.
The discussion will be moderated by Tom Bieling (HfG Offenbach), bringing the perspectives of Heike Grebin and Jonas Deuter into dialogue.
The event starts at 6:30 pm. Admission is free, and drinks will be available at the book bar from 6 pm onwards.