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Donald Beekman, born and raised in Amsterdam, started his own graphic design and music studio called [DBXL] after studying at the Rietveld Art Academy. All his life he has been playing music in various bands, which left him with a large network of people in the music and entertainment business. Over the years he has designed many logos, record and cd sleeves, flyers, posters, identities, magazines and packaging for bands, deejays, party organisations and record labels. As well, it was the cultural institutions, theatre companies, and smart drugs distributor Conscious Dreams that found their way to [DBXL]. Beekman has designed numerous typefaces, most emanating from logos or artwork designed for his clients. Beekman continues to  compose and produce music under the name Backbone and runs the underground record label Illy Noiz. Beekman’s fonts are published by FontShop International, Die Gestalten, Cape-Arcona and VetteLetters. Since 2004 he has been co-hosting Typeradio, the radio- and podcast-station on design and typography.

FOR MORE >> www.dbxl.nl

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L E C T U R E  | 1400h | 15.02.09 | view programme
Type, drugs & rock ’n roll

Donald Beekman is probably one of very few graphic designers in the world who has had the chance to design logos, artwork and packaging for drugs. Legal smart drugs that is, getting popular in the 90s with the rise of house music. A musician himself, Beekman also designed a lot of logos and artwork for bands, record labels, deejays, party organisations and dance music events. Many of these designs were developed into typefaces. Beekman will show 30 years of designs for the Amsterdam music scene, drugs and the typefaces that emanated from these designs.

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About the images
Beatbox is a solid tech straight stencil-face, released by Die Gestalten font foundry. Designed to be used as a display and headline typeface | Poster (detail) for ISH – an internationally operating skate-dance theatre group from Amsterdam, initiated by Marco Gerris. Since ISH was formed in 1999, Donald has been their designer, and produced the music for their first show using his own sound system. ISH now run a dance school, youth centre, a soccer team, and have three theatre shows on the road.

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