Melle Hammer lives his convictions. During a career that has spanned two decades, Hammer's beliefs have compelled him to turn his back on his original profession, battle and engage big business and donate his skills to causes he thinks are important. From his studio in Amsterdam, Hammer makes work for the passion of design, for love... and for money.

Hammer's creative process has little in common with the frenetic pace that characterizes many design studios. There never seems to be so much to do that he cannot accept an invitation to lunch with a friend in one of Amsterdam's numerous cafes or prepare a gourmet dinner for an out-of-town guest. And yet Hammer is always working. Committed equally to paid and unpaid work, projects large and small, Hammer balances an almost laissez-faire lifestyle with a consuming belief that it is a designer's responsibility to make work that is fitting for both the client and the audience.

A Turning Point
Hammer has not always been content to live and work on the fringes of one of Europe's hottest design communities. After completing his studies, he found employment in the lucrative field of advertising design and went to work for companies whose brands were internationally recognized. Though success came easily, Hammer's burgeoning career was interrupted when, over cocktails, the CEO of a luxury footwear label bragged that his wares were produced by children in Third World countries. Hammer began to question whether the social and environmental costs of the products he was promoting were too high.

(LEFT) BOOK COVER, CALLAHAN EN ANDERE GEDAANTEN, 2004, THREE-COLOR, CLIENT: UITGEVERIJ (CONTACT). ALTHOUGH THE DIMENSIONS OF EACH WORK IN THE POETRY SERIES PUBLISHED BY CONTACT STAY CONSISTENT, HAMMER CONTINUALLY REINVENTS HIS ASSIGNMENT, AND THE INTERIOR TYPOGRAPHY, PAPER CHOICE AND LAYOUT DIFFER FROM BOOK TO BOOK.
(CENTER) BOOK COVER, OERA LINDA, 2005, THREE-COLOR, CLIENT: UITGEVERIJ (CONTACT). WITHIN THE BOOK IS AN EXTRAORDINARY TYPOGRAPHICAL LANDSCAPE - LAYERS OF TEXT SEDUCE THE READER INTO DIGGING FOR WORDS. HAMMER ADMIRES THE WORK OF WRITERS WHO CAN TAKE YEARS TO COME UP WITH THESE 48-PAGE FOLIOS AND IS AWARE THE READER WILL BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POETRY WITHIN: "THESE KIND OF BOOKS ARE NOT READ ONCE AND THEN PUT ASIDE, BUT COME BACK TO YOUR LAP EVERY NOW AND THEN. SO IT MAKES SENSE TO TAKE THE TIME TO CREATE AN OBJECT THAT IS WORTHWHILE."

He switched jobs, working for companies that were supposedly more socially conscious. But a decade before Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line was pulled from stores because of child labor concerns, Hammer was unable to find employers whose business practices bore up under scrutiny. In a decisive move, he left both advertising and full-time commercial employment. He didn't completely rule out working for large corporations, but decided to limit the projects he took on to those where his creative output would not be used by enterprises that he disagreed with. "In the past, I invented happenings for the new Levi's or Nike models, and now I use the same skills for causes that matter to me - that seduce me with a question," he says. "That's happiness."

Hammer has, by choice, made a life in the margins. Rejecting pressure and fame for relative anonymity allows him to make the kind of work he wants and to conduct creative experiments without predetermined expectations. Hammer is adamant that the ability and willingness to fail is necessary to make better design and believes that, "if one constantly wants only to be recognized for the work they do, the pressure will eventually cause them to make safe work, and their solutions will no longer fit the project, nor will they be timely or interesting."

From the belief that failure is useful, and even necessary, has come a unique way of recycling less-successful outcomes into new assignments. Hammer often prefers to "live" with the evidence of an unhappy experience, embracing rather than discarding that which has fallen short.

To cut costs and minimize waste - even for paying jobs - Hammer will rummage through the ends from print runs and choose a stock that complements his design and utilizes existing, often free, materials. Such ingenuity has allowed him to produce award-winning book designs, objects and promotional materials for clients ranging from cultural institutions and publishers to neighborhood eateries.

Case in Point #1
When a client rejected a Hammer-designed jewelry display system for being too experimental, the moving blankets that wrapped the shelving system were left in Hammer's studio - detritus of a rejected project. After several months Hammer became convinced that he could give the pile of cheaply made and poor-quality fabric a second life. Drawing on his previous association with groups advocating for immigrants' rights, Hammer began to see parallels between the disposable cloth in his studio and the challenges faced by displaced people.

Joining forces with a jewelry designer and a jailed immigrant tailor from Iran, the three collaborated to create a small line of couture suit jackets and trench coats from the leftover moving blankets. The resulting stylish, expertly cut coats will be exhibited and sold in galleries and store windows throughout Amsterdam, and the proceeds will help the Iranian tailor begin a new life in Holland.

REMEMBER THEM, 2006 (TOP RIGHT): HAMMER WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF DUTCH ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS WHO WERE MOVED TO DONATE THEIR EFFORTS TO AN ANNIVERSARY POSTER EXHIBITION COMMEMORATING IMMIGRANTS WHO DIED IN A FIRE AT A CLOSED DETENTION FACILITY AT AMSTERDAM'S SCHIPHOL AIRPORT. BUT THE CONTEST WAS AIMED AT EMERGING CREATIVE TALENT, SO HAMMER AGREED NOT TO BE CREDITED FOR HIS DESIGN WORK AND WITHDREW FROM THE FORMAL COMPETITION. INSTEAD, HE SUGGESTED THE POSTERS BE TURNED INTO A POSTCARD SERIES THAT COULD BE SOLD TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE FIRE VICTIMS. 2001: A PUBLIC SPACE ODYSSEY (FAR RIGHT), CLIENT: AMSTERDAMS FONDS VOOR DE KUNST LES INDES GALANTES, 2004 (LOWER LEFT AND CENTER): TWO POSTERS ANNOUNCING THE OPERA-BALLET LES INDES GALANTES. THE TWO PARTS CAN BE USED SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION. IK GA TERUG EN KOM NOOIT MEER WEG ("I WILL GO BACK AND NEVER BE LEAVING"), 2002: PROPOSAL FOR FILM POSTER, CLIENT: ESTHER EVA DAMEN THREE GOOD REASONS

Hammer believes there are three reasons to take on a project: "First, if you are interested in it, and you see a necessity in doing it; second, if you like or are in love with the person you are working with; and third, because you are making money." This simple construct governs his approach to the business of design. He believes at least two of his criteria should be present in order to start a job, but he acknowledges that there are times when even this basic principle is almost impossible to put into practice.

Hammer uses a system of give-and-take, balancing monetary compensation and personal passion. "If you do an unpaid project one week, then you need to take on a paid project the next, and even if you aren't interested in the content, you can make good design. The interest in design [itself] can make it a worthwhile thing to do."

For someone who acquires material possessions only sparingly, Hammer has an incredible knack for enlisting others to contribute to causes that matter to him. Both Apple and Adobe donated products to the last major education program he was part of. And, in an unusual turning of the tables for designer and producer, printers readily work free of charge, and paper companies are eager to donate materials to projects Hammer believes are important.

The Conceits of "Design"
Many of the projects he takes on seem to have activist motivations or political content. Yet Hammer denies he ever conceived of himself as a politically driven designer. Finally agreeing that it is possible to see his work in such a light, given the various causes that he has been associated with, Hammer maintains that the work he does is based purely on interests at the time. When asked whether it matters that not all designers have the same level of competence or passion for their work, he replies that since only about three percent of materials produced are created by a designer, there is more than enough work for everyone, regardless of skill and talent.

He defends the work of less-talented designers, saying, "We want them all!" And he expands on that statement, adding, "There is no place for elitism in design. Designers should not consider themselves to be better than the client, the audience or the consumer." He suggests that vision too purely concerned with the conceits of "Design" will often result in work that is not applicable for its intended use. "One should be judged on whether a design fits into the environment in which it is to exist!"

Satisfaction and Success
A frequent lecturer at U.S. design schools and former instructor at one of the Netherlands' most-respected design schools, the Jan van Eijck Academy, Hammer's effect on students is hypnotic. He begins by telling students to forget about being famous or making money. Instead he encourages each individual to look for a way to be happy with what he or she is doing. "I will seduce you and teach you a way to grow, [to learn] who you are, what your talents are and where you belong."

Hammer directs young people to "be happy with your spot in this world and challenge yourself. One thing is not less valid than another." A surprising commonality among Hammer's former students is that they are all professionally (and often monetarily) successful ... a fact that Hammer, a man who rarely admits triumph, is very proud of.

Case in Point #2
Hammer has had a decade-long and sometimes rocky relationship with the Dutch publisher Uitgeverij (Contact). First challenged to promote a new series of work by young writers, Hammer conceived of a purely typographic solution. He stripped the covers of distracting bar codes and paragraph descriptions and packaged the series in plastic so the books could only be purchased as a set. The price point was high and the covers, partially hidden in their packaging, were enticing. The first and second printings each sold out in one day and the books became collectible, as much for their innovative design as for their content.

FAR LEFT) HAMMER'S 2004 "DRESS TO CELEBRATE A GARDEN" PAIRS A TRADITIONAL BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT WITH A TUNIC-LIKE SKIRT OF THE SAME MATERIAL. TO ACHIEVE THE COLORFUL RIOT OF PATTERNED SPOTS, DUTCH FEDERAL STANDARD CAMOUFLAGE COLORS WERE "TRANSLATED" INTO THE FOUR-COLOR PROCESS COLORS (CMYK) AND THE SCREEN WAS ENLARGED. THE RESULTING PATTERN WAS PRINTED ON CLOTH AND USED FOR GIANT BILLBOARDS AND FLAGS AS WELL AS THE SUIT. SHOCKING CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN AUDIENCES - INCLUDING DESIGN STUDENTS - HAMMER OFTEN WEARS THE GARB WHEN HE SPEAKS PUBLICLY. INITIALLY SUSPICIOUS OF ANY "MAN DRESSED IN A SKIRT," STUDENTS ARE NONETHELESS CAPTIVATED BY HAMMER'S IDEAS ON DESIGN AND OBVIOUS DEDICATION TO HIS WORK.
CD SLEEVE AND INVITATION CARD (TOP RIGHT): A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR A "FIFTYAND- A-HALF ANNIVERSARY" OSO HALFWAY HOME (BOTTOM RIGHT): HAMMER COLLABORATED WITH JEWELRY DESIGNER ERNA ANEMA AND DRESSMAKER/TAILOR AHMED OSO TO CREATE A SMALL LINE OF COUTURE CLOTHING MADE FROM LEFTOVER MOVING BLANKETS HAMMER HAD LYING AROUND AFTER A JEWELRY DISPLAY SYSTEM HE HAD DESIGNED WITH THE BLANKETS WAS REJECTED FOR BEING TOO EXPERIMENTAL. THE PERSONAL AND THE PROFESSIONAL ARE OFTEN BLURRED IN HAMMER'S WORK, AND SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, HE WAS INSPIRED TO TURN THEM INTO SOMETHING USEFUL. (PHOTOS BY ERNA ANEMA)
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A CHAIR (TOP CENTER) 1999: FOR THE EXHIBITION "GREEN: ... A WALK THROUGH SEVEN GARDENS." FOR EACH GARDEN, AN ARTIST AND A DESIGNER WERE INVITED TO INSTALL A WORK. SAYS HAMMER, "I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE GARDEN FOR WHAT IT WAS AND INSTEAD FILL THE STREETS CONNECTING THE GARDENS WITH AS MANY CHAIRS AS POSSIBLE. I MANAGED TO PRODUCE 100 CHAIRS. BY OFFERING A CHAIR TO EACH VISITOR, I PROPOSED THEY SIT, RELAX AND WATCH THE GARDEN UNTOUCHED, BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO A GARDEN." BELOW IS A STENCIL TYPEFACE DESIGN FOR THE CHAIRS SAYING "RESERVED."
LOGO, 2006 (CENTER BOTTOM): FOR PAPIERPRAAT (IN ENGLISH, "PAPERTALKS"), CLIENT: PAPIERPRAAT.NL

Unfortunately, when people took the time to read the works in the collection, their response was less than favorable. It turned out that the design was too sophisticated for the writing, and critics complained that the glitzy packaging and elegant typography promised more than the first-time authors could deliver. The publisher worried no one would read the authors' second books after the negative publicity generated by the first ones, and Hammer was fired for creating a campaign that was too successful for his client!

Five years later, when Contact decided to introduce a line of poetry, the series editor felt that Hammer's design would complement the years of work that these writers put into each book. Both the poets and their designer subsequently received critical acclaim, including an award for De Best Verzorgde Boeken (the Best of Book Design), which, for the first time, recognized work that was both well presented and well written.

The trend is increasingly established. More recently, some Dutch poets have left their publishers, preferring to be represented by Contact. Rival publishing houses have taken to employing designers who, like Hammer, employ their skills to give visual voice to a writer's work. Riding on his recent success, Hammer is facilitating talks between Dutch poets, printers and paper companiesÑsuggesting that poetry would make excellent content for promotional pieces and that the industry should begin an informal patronage of these writers. Final decisions have not been made, but his history suggests that if the first try isn't successful, Hammer will simply approach the problem from a new angle - and once again find inspiration in adversity.

The Next Aesthetics
Hammer denies that his goals and aspirations are very different from other people's. He loves good food and wine. He admires well-designed objects and has detailed plans for how he would renovate his kitchen to create the perfect cooking environment. And yet his home/studio includes few nonessentials. While he may covet beautiful things as much as the next person, none of these earthly desires have a strong enough pull to make him abandon his ideals. Instead, he continues to work on causes that he finds "easy to join," and suggests that ethics will be the next aesthetics. who you are, what your talents are and where you belong."

About the author
Aaris Sherin is a professor of graphic design at St. John's University in New York City. Her research focuses on the history of design and social and environmental issues with the discipline. aaris.sherin@gmail.com

This article was originally published in the May/June 2007 issue of Step inside design magazine.

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