Ruben Pater (NL) is a graphic designer, researcher, and educator who works at the intersection of journalism and activism. Operating under the studio name Untold Stories, he focuses on visual narratives that address complex geopolitical and ethical issues.
Pater’s practice is driven by the search for ethical alternatives to mainstream graphic design, which he often critiques as being deeply entangled with capitalism and inequality. Through "Untold Stories," he aims to make sensitive or unprofitable stories visible to the public, fostering solidarity and degrowth. He is the author of the influential books on visual communication The Politics of Design and CAPS LOCS.
Laura Pappa (EST/NL) is a freelance graphic designer based in Amsterdam. She works both on commissioned and self-initiated projects. Her clients include Valiz, Van Abbemuseum, Rozenstraat — a rose is a rose is a rose, Kunstverein Toronto, and the Museum of Estonian Architecture. She is the editor of the pamphlet series Exercises in Practical Mischievery and organiser of Fruit basket, a monthly gathering for informal presentations in Amsterdam.
Adrien Vasquez (FR/GB) is a graphic and type designer. He worked with John Morgan since 2011. In 2017, they founded Abyme, a digital type foundry and independent publisher of artist’s editions and multiples. Following John Morgan’s death in 2025, he co-founded Lima Vasquez studio with Teresa Lima. He teaches at ÉSAD Valence.
Vier5 is a Paris-based graphic design studio founded in 2002 by German designers Marco Fiedler and Achim Reichert. The studio’s work is characterized by a "classical notion of design" reimagined through a contemporary, often provocative lens. Their primary focus includes: Visual Language: They specialize in developing unique, forward-looking visual languages that avoid "visual empty phrases"—clichéd or generic design tropes—in favor of individualistic, creative statements. Typography: A core pillar of their practice is the design of new, up-to-date typefaces specifically tailored to the medium and client. Influences: Their aesthetic is heavily influenced by the visual culture of the 1990s and the democratic role of media like MTV, which they credit for bringing global design into the domestic sphere.
Utopia Libri (CZ) is a publishing house, operating at the intersection of critical theory, political thought, and independent publishing. Its editorial approach deliberately crosses boundaries between genres and approaches books not only as carriers of content, but as carefully edited, designed, and positioned objects that articulate a clear political and ethical stance within today’s visual and cultural landscape.