On Crossings
Design, Language, Experience
In April 2026, I published a book entitled On Crossings: Design, Language, Experience.
The concept for this book arose from a 10-day residence programme I undertook in Amsterdam in February 2025. It features in-depth interviews with six groups of practitioners based in the Netherlands. I asked them to bring “an object that come to mind when you hear the term cultural representation”. The book weaves together perspectives from Japan, Europe and various parts of the world. While exploring the politics inherent in visual communication, it uses design as a lens to consider how we can understand and respect one another.
NEUTRAL COLORS handled the printing. The residency opportunity was given by them as a part of their magazine content. It is a beautiful two-colour risograph print on the soft and light papers.
The concept for this book arose from a 10-day residence programme I undertook in Amsterdam in February 2025. It features in-depth interviews with six groups of practitioners based in the Netherlands. I asked them to bring “an object that come to mind when you hear the term cultural representation”. The book weaves together perspectives from Japan, Europe and various parts of the world. While exploring the politics inherent in visual communication, it uses design as a lens to consider how we can understand and respect one another.
NEUTRAL COLORS handled the printing. The residency opportunity was given by them as a part of their magazine content. It is a beautiful two-colour risograph print on the soft and light papers.
︎On Crossings: Design, Language, Experience (Print)
この本の企画は、2025年2月末にアムステルダムの文化施設でおこなった10日間の滞在制作をきっかけに生まれた書籍です。6組のオランダを拠点に活動する実践者に「文化的な表象という言葉から思い浮かべるオブジェクト」を持ち寄ってもらい、日本、ヨーロッパ、そして世界あちこちの視点を行き来する、ロングインタビューを収録。視覚表現に潜む政治性や、世界から見た日本に触れながら、分断が進む中でどのようにお互いを理解し、尊重し合えるのかをデザインを通して考えます。
印刷はNEUTRAL COLORSが担当してくれました。同名の雑誌の企画から滞在制作の機会をいただき、本の内容の相談から滞在中のサポート、印刷時の紙選びや出版後のイベントまで、ずっと帆走していただきました。美しい２色リソグラフ印刷です。
また、日本在住の方はこちらのオンラインショップからE-bookの購入が可能です。
︎オンラインショップ
The list of interviewees
1. Limestone Books
A bookshop in Maastricht, the Netherlands. It is run primarily by designers from East Asia. Specialising in art publications and contemporary art that focus on non-Western perspectives, marginalised voices and diaspora communities, it is building a network of artists that organically connects local and international communities.
limestonebooks.org
2. Kristyan Sarkis
A type designer and lettering artist, born in Beirut, Lebanon, based in Amsterdam. He holds a Master’s degree in Type Media from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK). He runs the TPTQ Arabic Type Foundry. He works between Arab and Western visual cultures. He currently teaches on the Master’s programme in Type Media at KABK.
kristyan-sarkis.com
3. Growing Pains
An initiative and publishing house that operates at the intersection of visual arts, publishing, dialogue, education and human relations, and supports female and non-binary artists. It was founded by Agata Bar, Daria Tuminas and Zhenia Sveshchinskaya in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
growingpains.nl
4. WERKER
A collective whose work centres on publishing and archiving. Whilst engaging with cross-cutting social movements such as labour issues, ecofeminism and LGBTQIA+, the collective analyses and disseminates insights into what is made visible—and what is not—within various political contexts, through a critical examination of images from everyday life. It was founded in Amsterdam in 2009.
www.werkercollective.net
5. Ruben Pater
Graphic designer and activist. Engaged in design, writing and education in order to explore ethical alternatives in design. Conducts activities that blend journalism, social activism and graphic design under the name ‘Untold Stories’. Author of The Politics of Design (BIS, 2016) and CAPS LOCK (Valiz, 2021).
untold-stories.net
6. Mirelle van Truder
An artist, researcher and designer. The founder of the independent publishing house Roots to Fruits. She is also the creator of the magazine Roots to Fruits, which is dedicated to the decolonial exploration of sound. At the heart of her work lies a quest to find avenues for dialogue concerning the power structures within graphic design and art history.
rootstofruits.info
1. Limestone Books
A bookshop in Maastricht, the Netherlands. It is run primarily by designers from East Asia. Specialising in art publications and contemporary art that focus on non-Western perspectives, marginalised voices and diaspora communities, it is building a network of artists that organically connects local and international communities.
limestonebooks.org
2. Kristyan Sarkis
A type designer and lettering artist, born in Beirut, Lebanon, based in Amsterdam. He holds a Master’s degree in Type Media from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK). He runs the TPTQ Arabic Type Foundry. He works between Arab and Western visual cultures. He currently teaches on the Master’s programme in Type Media at KABK.
kristyan-sarkis.com
3. Growing Pains
An initiative and publishing house that operates at the intersection of visual arts, publishing, dialogue, education and human relations, and supports female and non-binary artists. It was founded by Agata Bar, Daria Tuminas and Zhenia Sveshchinskaya in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
growingpains.nl
4. WERKER
A collective whose work centres on publishing and archiving. Whilst engaging with cross-cutting social movements such as labour issues, ecofeminism and LGBTQIA+, the collective analyses and disseminates insights into what is made visible—and what is not—within various political contexts, through a critical examination of images from everyday life. It was founded in Amsterdam in 2009.
www.werkercollective.net
5. Ruben Pater
Graphic designer and activist. Engaged in design, writing and education in order to explore ethical alternatives in design. Conducts activities that blend journalism, social activism and graphic design under the name ‘Untold Stories’. Author of The Politics of Design (BIS, 2016) and CAPS LOCK (Valiz, 2021).
untold-stories.net
6. Mirelle van Truder
An artist, researcher and designer. The founder of the independent publishing house Roots to Fruits. She is also the creator of the magazine Roots to Fruits, which is dedicated to the decolonial exploration of sound. At the heart of her work lies a quest to find avenues for dialogue concerning the power structures within graphic design and art history.
rootstofruits.info
1. ライムストーン・ブックス
オランダ・マーストリヒトにある書店。主に東アジア出身のデザイナーたちによって運営されている。非西洋的視点、周縁化された声、離散したコミュニティに焦点を当てた美術出版と現代美術を専門とし、地域と国際コミュニティを有機的に結ぶ芸術家ネットワークを構築している。
limestonebooks.org
2. クリスチャン・サーキス
レバノン・ベイルート生まれ。アムステルダム在住のタイプデザイナー兼レタリングアーティスト。ハーグ王立芸術アカデミー（KABK）にてタイプメディアの修士号を取得。TPTQアラビア書体ファウンドリーを運営。アラブと西洋の文化間を行き来しながらデザインをする。現在はKABKのタイプメディア修士課程で教えている。 kristyan-sarkis.com
3. グローイング・ペインズ
視覚芸術、出版、対話、教育、人間関係の交差点で活動し、女性およびノンバイナリーアーティストを支援するイニシアチブ／出版社。2022年2月のロシアによるウクライナ侵攻を受けて、アガタ・バー、ダリア・トゥミナス、ジェニア・スヴェスチンスカヤによって設立された。
growingpains.nl
4. ヴェーカー
出版とアーカイブを起点に活動するコレクティブ。労働問題や、エコフェミニズム、LGBTQIA+など横断的な社会運動に関わりながら、日常生活のイメージ批評を通じて、さまざまな政治的文脈において可視化されるもの／されないものを分析し、発信している。2009年、アムステルダムで創設された。 www.werkercollective.net
5. ルーベン・パター
グラフィックデザイナー、活動家。デザインにおける倫理的な代替案を模索するため、デザイン、執筆、教育に携わる。ジャーナリズム、社会運動、グラフィックデザインを融合した活動を「Untold Stories（伝えられていない物語）」の名で展開。著書に『The Politics of Design』（BIS、2016年）、『CAPS LOCK』（Valiz、2021年）がある。
untold-stories.net
6. ミレーイ・ファン・トゥルダー
アーティスト、研究者、デザイナーであり、独立系出版社Roots to Fruitsの創設者。脱植民地的な音の探求に捧げられている同名の季刊誌『Roots to Fruits』の制作者でもある。彼女の仕事の中核を成すのは、グラフィックデザインと美術史の権力構造をめぐる対話の道を探ること。
rootstofruits.info
Printing: NEUTRAL COLORS
Binding: Mochizuki binding
Editing & Writing: Minami Hirayama
Copy-Editing: Naho Maike Matsuda
Publisher: Kehai Publishing
Publised in April 2026
©Minami Hirayama 2026