Special Exhibition Paul de Wit

On Behalf of	Leipzig University Museum of Musical Instruments at GRASSI
Period	2025 - 2026

Concept
Exhibition Design
Key Visual

We are responsible for the concept, exhibition design and marketing for the exhibition “Paul de Wit – Ein Holländer in Klein-Paris” at the University of Leipzig's Museum of Musical Instruments at GRASSI in Leipzig.

Entrance area to the special exhibition. On the right is a large illuminated poster featuring the key visual and the exhibition title ‘Paul de Wit und die Musikwelt - Ein Holländer in Klein-Paris’. On the left is a purple display board featuring black-and-white photographs.

The Life and Work of Paul de Wit

Assignment and Approach

The special exhibition “Paul de Wit – Ein Holländer in Klein-Paris” at the Museum of Musical Instruments at GRASSI explores the life and work of music enthusiast Paul de Wit and showcases his collections. The museum asked us to develop the concept and design the exhibition. We are responsible for both the conceptual and detailed planning, as well as coordinating the production process. In addition, we have been given responsibility for the exhibition’s marketing, are designing a suitable key visual, and are producing smaller print materials such as posters and flyers.

In the foreground is a three-dimensional information panel, printed on all sides, which divides the room. The front is in the signature colour of ochre yellow, whilst the sides are purple. An old musical instrument can be seen in the background.

On the right-hand side of the picture, there is a purple information board featuring black-and-white photographs. To the left of it, in a display case, there is a musical instrument.

History in modern language

Approach and (creative) implementation

We draw on visual elements from the historical collection and the exhibits, translating them into a modern design language. We deliberately reduce the layouts to the essentials and prioritise readability. Using the core exhibit as the central visual element, we create the basis for the key visual, which is consistently applied across all communication channels.

In the foreground, an instrument can be seen, slightly out of focus. In the background, there is a poster showing several musical instruments.

[Translate to EN:] Informationstafel in der Leitfarbe ockergelb. Ein schwarz-weiß Foto von Paul de Wit wie er auf einem Instrument spielt ist von Text umgeben.

A view of the exhibition: several display cases containing musical instruments are scattered around the room. To the left is a large information board.

Very few lights

Special features and challenges

The exhibition space has no natural light sources and is illuminated in specific areas using LED spotlights. For this reason, we use strong accent colours, such as the yellow from the key visual. This allows us to create visual landmarks using high contrasts, ensuring that the content and the layout remain clearly visible even in low light.