The Prelude Exhibition of The First Shanghai Graphic Design Biennale – TopoPoster: International Poster Design Exhibition, after six months (June – December, 2025) of planning and preparation, was successfully held from December 13 to December 22, 2025. As one of the larger-scale exhibitions in recent years featuring an international selection of works in China, it showcased over 300 representative poster designs from 153 influential contemporary designers and studios active in the forefront of the field across 28 countries.
Abrupt
Corbin Mahieu Studio and Victor Verhelst developed the visual identity for the second edition of the experimental music festival Abrupt, exploring new ways of expressing music and sound. They incorporated wrapping glitches and sparks that move across the screen, creating visuals that reflect both the festival’s energy and the movement of visitors between events, while highlighting the “abrupt” element at the core. Taking place across multiple venues in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, the festival thrives on this sense of motion and intensity. The designers aimed for the poster to feel like an artwork rather than a practical line-up.
They also collaborated again with Bureau Claes to expand the typographic system of the Abrupt font, introducing several new variations with different styles and outlines. By shifting between these versions, they created a dynamic and ever-changing typographic language.
Compared to the previous year, the visuals are darker, echoing Abrupt’s unique atmosphere. Concerts and club nights take place in underground spaces such as Reset, a former bank building, or basement venues like Bozar. The electric energy conveyed in the posters is designed to resonate directly with the experience of the music nights.
Corbin Mahieu
Victor Verhelst
corbinmahieu.be trippyvegas.com
@corbinmahieu @verhelstvictor