Godsvertrouwen 1940 - 1945

This small printed leaflet, whose author is only known by the initials NSB, is preserved at the Rijksmuseum. The crimson lettering on the poster proclaims “Godsvertrouwen,” which translates to “Trust in God.” I imagine the designer carefully arranging the text on the page, trying to balance the visual weight of the words with the message they were meant to convey. It's interesting how typography becomes a tool for persuasion here, the letterforms themselves almost vibrating with conviction. Red ink must have felt pretty charged, almost revolutionary. You can see how the designer uses repetition, questions and answers to create a kind of call-and-response effect, trying to pull the viewer into their way of thinking. In a strange way, there’s something painterly about this use of language and color— a bold, graphic statement meant to stir something in the viewer. You see that artists and designers, even when driven by questionable ideas, are in an ongoing conversation. It can be inspiring... in a cautionary kind of way.