Nikki Gonnissen is co-founder and director of the Amsterdam based studio Thonik (established in 1993). The studio specializes in graphic, interaction and motion design. What sets Thonik apart is its clear designs coupled with a focus on content. The studio unites a conceptual design mentality with an emphasis on typography. Thonik has gradually introduced this graphic language and method into multimedia campaigns for major clients in the public and cultural sectors.

Thonik made visual identities and other projects for many cultural institutions like the Urbanism\Architecture Bi-city Biennale Shenzhen (UABB), Nanijng Youth Festival, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Spiral Art Center in Tokyo, Museum Marta Herford in Germany, the Architecture Biennale Venice, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, ZKM Karlsruhe Germany, Manifesta 9, Belgium, JÁ! (Now) Florianapolis Brazil and recently the Holland Festival in Amsterdam.

In the public sector the studio works for the Dutch central government, local councils, The Amsterdam public Library, broadcast corporation VPRO and a major Dutch political party. With their work for this political party they show how design can enhance political debate and democracy.

Thonik, staged its first retrospective under the title “Power” in The Shanghai Art Museum, in 2008. The 2008 Venice Architecture Biennial featured the installation Graphic Tapestries. Thonik also had solo exhibitions in the Spiral Art Center, Tokyo at the end of 2009, in the Institut Néerlandais and Galerie Anatome, Paris in 2010 and at Sfera, Kyoto in 2012. Their work is in the permanent collection of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

Aside from her work at Thonik, Nikki is International President at Alliance Graphique Internationale, guest lecturer and design tutor.

Online

thonik.nl

Talk Topic

To be determined.