What does the future of writing look like? The design collective Underware poses this question in the exhibition Sensorium Motorium, which will be on display in Amsterdam in November 2025. The focus is on the Fluxographer, a 7-dimensional writing instrument that turns writing into a sensory experience.

Writing is so much more than just putting letters on paper. With this project, Underware builds on ideas developed by scientist Heinz von Foerster, who researched the connection between perception and movement in the 1970s. Knowledge does not arise solely in the mind, but rather in the interaction between the senses and actions. Von Foerster experimented with higher dimensions, just as Underware developed a new writing instrument that makes use of higher dimensions. The Fluxographer invites visitors to play with language and experience that writing can be physical, musical and visual at the same time.

A future writing
Sami Kortemäki, one of the initiators: “Major technological changes in the 1960s forced designers to present new visions of the role of text in society. Wim Crouwel’s New Alphabet is an example of this, a statement that text should no longer be readable by humans but first and foremost by computers. The current technological changes are at least as urgent, and designers must once again reflect on this by developing their own vision. The future does not just happen to us; we can realise it ourselves.”

Means of communication have been radically transformed over the past 30 years, and there is no indication that this development will stagnate any time soon. At a time when artificial intelligence and digital communication are changing the way we write, Sensorium Motorium shows that the future of language can also look different: playful and challenging.

Exhibition Sensorium Motorium
15–30 Nov 2025, sat & sun 13:00–17:00 o’clock
Opening: Friday 14 Nov 2025, 17:00 (doors open 16:30, RSVP)
Address: Weerdruk gallery, Entrepotdok 42A, 1018 AD Amsterdam

== NL ==

Hoe ziet de toekomst van schrijven er uit? Het ontwerpcollectief Underware stelt die vraag in de tentoonstelling Sensorium Motorium die in november 2025 in Amsterdam te zien is. Centraal staat de Fluxographer, een 7-dimensionaal schrijfinstrument dat van schrijven een zintuiglijke ervaring maakt.

Schrijven is zoveel meer dan alleen wat letters op papier. Met dit project bouwt Underware voort op ideeën van wetenschapper Heinz von Foerster, die in de jaren zeventig onderzocht hoe waarneming en beweging verbonden zijn. Kennis ontstaat niet alleen in het hoofd, maar juist in de wisselwerking tussen zintuigen en handelingen. Von Foerster experimenteerde daarvoor met hogere dimensies, net zoals Underware een nieuw schrijfinstrument ontwikkelde dat gebruik maakt van hogere dimensies. De Fluxographer nodigt bezoekers uit om te spelen met taal, en te ervaren dat schrijven zowel iets lichamelijks, muzikaals en beeldend tegelijk kan zijn.

Een toekomstig schrijven
Sami Kortemäki, een van de initiatiefnemers: “Grote technologische veranderingen in de jaren 60 dwongen ontwerpers om nieuwe visies te presenteren welke rol tekst in een maatschappij inneemt. New Alphabet van Wim Crouwel is daarvan een voorbeeld, een statement dat tekst niet langer voor mensen maar eerst voor computers leesbaar moest zijn. De huidige technologische veranderingen zijn minstens zo urgent, ontwerpers moeten ook nu weer hierop reflecteren door hun eigen visie te ontwikkelen. De toekomst overkomt ons niet zomaar, die kunnen we zelf realiseren.”

Communicatiemiddelen zijn de afgelopen 30 jaar radicaal getransformeerd, en niets wijst er op dat deze ontwikkeling binnenkort stagneert. In een tijd waarin kunstmatige intelligentie en digitale communicatie ons schrijven veranderen, laat Sensorium Motorium zien dat de toekomst van taal er ook anders uit kan zien: speels en uitdagend.

Tentoonstelling Sensorium Motorium
15–30 Nov 2025, zat & zon 13:00–17:00 uur
Opening: vrijdag 14 Nov 2025, 17:00 (deur open 16:30, RSVP)
Adres: Weerdruk galerie, Entrepotdok 42A, 1018 AD Amsterdam

This week we’re gonna have a lecture at Type & Faces in London. Our talk “It’s about time” is about time, which will not be a surprise. What do we do with our time? What is time anyway? Isn’t time everything? If you would have time, what would you do? Do you take time seriously? Can you include “time” into your work, or do you do that only in your own time? Or into your own letters? The act of writing always happens in time, so what if type designers include time? It’s about time we talk about time.

A many-sided evening with other talks by Shaqa Bovand, William Montrose & Ignacio Casco. Join us if you’re around!

Type & Faces
9 Oct 2025, 18:15 o’clock
30-36 Pritchard’s Road, London
▶ typeandfaces.com

This lecture is part of a small trip with some workshops and lectures:

06-07 Oct: Typeworkshop “Progressive abstraction of writing systems” at Central Saint Martins, London
08 Oct: Lecture “One-sided love is also love” at the University of Reading, dept. Typography & Graphic Communication, Reading
09 Oct: Lecture “It’s about time” at Type & Faces, London
14 Oct: Lecture “The Paradimensional Pen” at Central Saint Martins, London
16 Oct: Lecture at Sint-Lucas School of Arts, Ghent

 
We’re excited to be part of the exhibition “Typography for reading” which is now on show in the United States. The exhibition focuses on typesetting and fonts designed to improve reading performance. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), about two out of five US school children struggle with reading proficiency – and those difficulties often last throughout their lives. The exhibition explores different design interventions, from fonts that support handwriting skills to paragraph layouts that boost reading comprehension. The exhibition, which features work by Thomas Jockin and Nadine Chahine, Nick Lum, Renato Casutt, and Underware, will be on show until 14 November 2025.

LOCATION
Memorial Gallery

ADDRESS
Farmingdale State College
2350 Broad Hollow Road Farmingdale, NY 11735

DATES
8 September – 14 November 2025

HOURS
Monday to Fridays 9am-4pm

RECEPTION
Thursday, October 9th, 5:00-7:00 PM

We are pleased to announce a new publication: Time to play. This publication focuses on the font Kermit, which we designed for Microsoft. This font was developed for kids, so it makes sense that this publication has a playful approach. In addition, Kermit is a writable font, with the time dimension designed and added to the font, which functions best if a play button is incorporated in the interface. In short: it’s time to play.

The publication consists of 3 different parts: an editorial where 3 articles place the genesis of Kermit in the context of historical and contemporary typographic developments. The articles are written by Rob McKaughan (Microsoft), Underware and Gerry Leonidas. In addition, there is a second section consisting of a traditional type specimen of the Kermit family. And there is a third part consisting of grammatographic anatomical illustrations. Each section is printed on a different type of paper, and these 120 pages are playfully mixed together by means of a clever imposition scheme. The whole edition was printed in 4 PMS colours, the cover fitted with an extra glossy silkscreen print, and all this was finished by means of a Swiss binding. You want to feel this tactile tickles in your hands. We have spared no expense to make this a playful publication.

The publication Time to play can be ordered from today via our website.

Today we’re happy to introduce Kermit, a friendly-looking, informal font family. On closer inspection however, it’s a combination of unique aesthetics & state-of-the-art technology that leads to a new way of writing.

Kermit was commissioned by Microsoft, who develop additional tools for their software for kids which have trouble learning to read. Kermit is a writable font – a typeface that can be written as one writes by hand: stroke by stroke, in the correct order, at the right speed, at the right time – and that might improve text comprehension for some kids. This innovative design enables new digital reading experiences, for example as support for learning to read.

All Kermit fonts – writable, variable and static – come in 7 weights, 3 different widths, with support for Latin, Greek and Cyrillic. In case you want to experience the writable fonts yourself, or read more about Kermit’s background, visit the dedicated mini-site kermit-font.com

Where to get Kermit?
Because Kermit was commissioned by Microsoft, it’s now available for Microsoft 365 customers for both Windows and Mac. You can find it in the font menu as a cloud font, and it will automatically install when selected. And thanks to our partnership with Microsoft, we are pleased to now offer commercial licensing for Kermit in our webshop. Kermit comes as writable, variable and static fonts, which are not just for kids, but the static fonts are now available to anyone. Get Kermit.

Special introduction offer
Buy one, get one Kermit for a friend for free. In case you buy a license of Kermit before the 1st of June 2025, you can give away a similar license for Kermit to a friend for free. We’ll contact you by email to arrange the details in case you ordered before the 1st of June.

The coming weeks we’re gonna make some public appearances again for a few lectures and exhibitions during our Space-Time Tour 2025.

4 april • Tokyo, Japan
Our exhibition Sensorium Motorium in Print Gallery in Tokyo will open, introducing a new writing instrument: the fluxographer. And because Flux, our paradimensional typeface, won a TDC Tokyo award, it will be part of the TDC Tokyo exhibition at the Ginza Graphic Gallery (ggg) in Tokyo this weekend. And on 5 April we’ll give a lecture at the TDCDAY in Tokyo, on Sunday 6 April at 18:00 everybody is welcome for some drinks at the Sunday Soiree at our exhibition in Print Gallery.
TDCDAY • Print Gallery

23 April • Amsterdam, the Netherlands
On Wednesday 23 April we’ll give a lecture called “How many days too early?” at the 56th installment of Letterspace in Amsterdam. Doors open at 19:00. Free entry, but RSVP.
letterspace.amsterdam

24 April • Hamburg, Germany
On Thursday 24 April we’ll give a lecture called “More to the letter” at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg, Germany. Free entry, starts at 19:00 o’clock.
mkg-hamburg.de

25 April • Copenhagen, Denmark
On Friday 25 April we’ll give a lecture called “Kaleidoscopic Entanglements Reflect Meaning in Type” at the ATypI conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Tickets for the conference are required.
atypi.org

28 April • Stockholm, Sweden
On Monday afternoon 28 April we’ll give a lecture called “Paradimensional writing” at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden. The lecture starts at 16:00 o’clock.
konstfack.se

01 May • Kolding, Denmark
On Thursday afternoon 1 May we’ll give a lecture called “Writing space in time” at the Kolding School of Design in Kolding, Denmark. The lecture starts at 15:00 o’clock.
designskolenkolding.dk

12 June • Trondheim, Norway
We’ll end our Space-Time Tour with a lecture at Thursday afternoon the 12th of June (17:30 o’clock) at Grafill in Trondheim, Norway. Please join us for our lecture “In how many dimensions can we work, watch or write?”. Tickets & details
grafill.no

Underware exhibition at Print Gallery Tokyo
April 2025

What if writing could be experienced not just visually, but physically and sonically, too? In Sensorium Motorium, Underware introduces a new kind of writing instrument – playful, experimental, and rooted in cybernetic theory.

In his essay Cybernetics of Epistemology, Austrian-American scientist Heinz von Foerster (1911 – 2002) introduces two foundational propositions for the acquisition of knowledge, grounded in the interplay between the sensorium (the system of conscious sensations) and the motorium (the regulated sequence of motion):
1. The meaning of the signals from the sensorium is determined by the motorium; and the meaning of the signals from the motorium is determined by the sensorium.
2. The laws of physics – the so-called “laws of nature” – can be described by us. But the laws of brain function – or, more broadly, the laws of biology – must be formulated in such a way that the act of writing them is itself derivable from them. In other words, they must be self-writing.

A few years earlier, von Foerster conducted the research project Mechanisms of the Perception of and Formation of Internal Representations of the Spatial Fourth Dimension (1971/72) with student Phyllis Arnold at the Biological Computer Laboratory in Illinois, USA. This experiment was motivated by the belief that dimensions higher than three could serve as an ideal means to separate newly assimilated information from past experiences. In doing so, participants might encounter a moment of pure understanding – understanding understanding, as von Foerster called it.

Sensorium Motorium
With Sensorium Motorium, Underware builds upon this historical body of research and connects it to the cultural domain of writing and sign-making. To explore this intersection, they developed a new, higher-dimensional writing instrument: the Fluxographer.

This multi-sensory grammatographic device enables the writing and experiencing of higher-dimensional signs through the simultaneous integration of haptic, auditory, and visual stimuli. More than a speculative tool, the Fluxographer offers a reflection on writing itself – how we write, how we read, and how the act of writing shapes perception and thought.

At the same time, it was also created with a playful spirit: an instrument designed to invite curiosity and joy. Something to explore, to try, to play with. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the Fluxographer – to write, to listen, to feel. The experience is as much intuitive and sensory as it is conceptual. Sensorium Motorium at Print Gallery Tokyo marks the world premiere of this new instrument.

The Fluxographer
The Fluxographer consists of a high-resolution touchpad device with a custom keyboard layout, the higher-dimensional typeface Flux (recipient of the TDC Tokyo Award 2025), an MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) synthesizer, and a bespoke tool that connects all three into one coherent, multi-sensory system. The Fluxographer captures users’ gestures with precision and renders them into higher-dimensional forms – both visual and sonic. The exhibition also features a series of unique A0 Fluxograms (created using the Fluxographer).

This is Underware’s second solo exhibition at Print Gallery in Tokyo. Parallel to Sensorium Motorium, their award-winning project Flux is also on view at the ginza graphic gallery in Tokyo.

About Underware
Underware is a pan-European design collective specializing in type and writing systems. Known for pushing the boundaries of typography, their work blends graphic design, linguistics, technology, and performance. With projects ranging from experimental typefaces to conceptual installations, Underware investigates the cultural, physical, and emotional dimensions of writing. Their work has been exhibited internationally and is part of several public and private collections.
underware.nl

About Print Gallery
Print Gallery Tokyo is an independent exhibition space dedicated to contemporary graphic design and visual culture. Known for its focused programming and intimate setting, the gallery offers a platform for experimental and conceptual projects that push the boundaries of print and typography. Its curatorial approach – bridging design, art, and research – has made it an important site for international designers and artists to engage with a thoughtful and design-savvy audience in Japan.
printgallerytokyo.com

It’s so nice to receive emails from people who are enthusiastic about our work.

Hello! I found your type foundry because my boyfriend reaaaaally likes the typeface in the elevator of the building where he lives. I know it might be extremely late for a christmas present, and I imagine it’s not possible to buy the typeface since its made for the brand, but I’d like to ask: Is it possible to get the segmented numbers to frame them?

Greetings and happy holidays :-)
Carla Jaña Matus

 
There is only one right way to answer to such a nice message: we sent René Morales-Sánchez something to frame. Life is a building, each year you go one floor up. Every day when René gets home, and once he left the Kone elevator, he ends up in his apartment on level 29, as your own age is likely the equivalent of the level of your life. Enjoy René & Carla!

Next Friday everyone is welcome to the Friday afternoon drinks at Tugela85, the building where our Amsterdam studio is located. According to good Dutch custom, the working week ends with a drink where you can meet old acquaintances and new strangers. Tugela85 opens its doors this Friday, exhibiting various posters made over the past 10 years for the monthly activities in the building. Some posters handmade by us will also be on display. These posters are quick-and-dirty, drawn in no time because before you know it, the next activity is right around the corner. Nice wallpaper for some drinks, though. If you’re in the area, feel free to stop by on this vrijmibo. Kladiladi.

Tugela85 presents Tugela85
Friday 21 February 2025
Doors open: 17:30
Opening: 18:00
Address: Tugelaweg 85, Amsterdam

Three men on a stage. One is dressed as a woman who seems to have walked out of a Norse saga, the other seems to be wavering between a jaunty prince and ballet dancer, and the third looks like a Russian tsar who actually wants to be a peacock. Together they sing a samba song on a stage, and then unveil their new banner, all this broadcast on national television. Anyone who thought Japanese TV can sometimes be bizarre should watch carnival TV. The year 2025 is less than two weeks old, but Germany is already giving us the best fonts-in-use sample of the year. You gotta love Bello, you gotta love local culture.

(Thanks Peter Buennagel for spotting)