The Middelheim Sculpture Biennale, held in the Middelheim Park in Antwerp, Belgium, is an international exhibition of contemporary sculpture. Between 1950 and 1989, twenty biennials took place in the park’s “Middelheim-Laag” section, and these exhibitions became known as the Middelheim Biennials from 1953 onwards.[1][2]
Design and History
The visual identity of the Middelheim Biennale is closely tied to Belgian graphic designer and sculptor Paul Ibou (pseudonym of Paul Vermeersch, 1939-2023). In 1965, Ibou received one of his first major commissions: designing the identity for the Biennale for Sculpture in the Middelheim Park in Antwerp.[3][4] That same year, he designed the logo for the non-profit organization Middelheim Promotors, which supports the museum.[5]
Ibou’s work for the biennale extended beyond the logo. He designed the exhibition poster for the 8th Biennale Middelheim (20 June to 30 September 1965), an offset print on paper measuring 100 x 62 cm, held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.[6] He also produced the graphic work for the 10th Biennale in 1969 and the 11th Biennale in 1971, the latter documented by a poster in the Rijksmuseum collection.[7][8] The 1965 identity was also featured in the November 1965 issue of the Japanese design magazine IDEA, which highlighted “The 8th Biennale Middelheim Antwerp by Paul Ibou.”[9]
Meaning and Symbolism
Documented symbolism for the Middelheim Biennale logo itself is limited. However, Ibou’s personal design language is well documented. At age 17, he created his personal logo and pseudonym based on a stylised owl, built from a few spheres and a simple body shape. This owl motif would later return in many of his designs.[10] The owl shape also informed his alias: “hibou” is French for owl, and Vermeersch dropped the “h” to form “Ibou.”[3]
Typography and Design
Ibou trained in “Publiciteit en lettertekenen” (publicity and lettering) at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, completing the course in 1958, and continued his studies at the Plantin Institute for Typography.[3] Over his career he designed more than 350 logos and symbols, and is recognized as one of the important pioneers of modern graphic design in Belgium.[4]
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