Gert Dumbar, was born in 1940 in Indonesia and spent three years in a Japanese concentration camp, as a child. He eventually went on to teach at the Indonesian university near where he grew up, despite being rebellious at school and spending all his time drawing.

He studied painting at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague in 1959, before going on to study Post-graduate graphic design in London. Then, in 1967, he was involved in the creation of a graphic design unit at Tel Design, a previously industrial design studio, and won the opportunity to create corporate identity for Dutch Railways. In 1977 Studio Dumbar was founded. Made up of around 12 designers and interns , the studio created a new style that featured expressive typography and incorporated illustration, photography and sculpture. They created design systems and corporate identities for organisations such as the Dutch Police Force and the Dutch Post Office.

Dumbar’s approach to design ignored the functional, rationalist, grid-based conventions that were associated with a marketing influence and were synonymous with previous Dutch design. His expressive style and collaborative work ethic were post-modernist in nature, and became influential for the designers that followed.
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“marketing driven design, in my opinion, kills all the spontaneity of a good creative idea by a talented designer.”

He was educated in art and painting and wanted to bring fine art and apply it to commercial projects. one of the philosophies that Dumbar brought to his work was that “Words divide, and images unite”- spoken by Austrian philosopher, Otto Neurath. Dunbar believed that this reflected Dutch design perfectly and himself said “The Dutch, by nature, have no respect for authority and you can hide that easier in graphic design” 

He was considered by some to be anti-establishment and his early upbringing influenced a rebellious attitude that is evident in unconventional design strategies. This ‘rebellious’ viewpoint lead to some controversial designs that are now among some of the most influential. These ideas also take root in his teachings.

“it’s knowledge, engagement and humour – those are the three principles behind my lessons here in The Hague. I also say ‘don’t listen to teachers’ of course. Oh and another thing is, ‘don’t use Helvetica please!”

​Today, Studio Dumbar is part of an international digital network, Dept. The studio specialised in brand strategy, visual identity and communication design.

“We create meaningful brands. From strategy to reality. We have an innate drive to make outstanding work. Pure. Simple. Powerful.”