When creating a logo for a project that should represent a range of diverse topics, partners and perspectives, there is a lot to be considered and incoperated.
As the graphic designer for the KHM-Museumsverband it is my responsibility to design communication material (such as posters, folders, flags, social media posts, catalogues, signage, invitations….) for a very versatile set of museums including art historic, ethnological, theatrical, archaeological and many more views and themes, which can be equally challenging and rewarding.
At the center of the TAKING CARE Project is the climate crises and the Anthropocene, how it relates to the afterlives of colonialism, in connection with ethnographic collections. It was therefore a central and initial idea to create a modular logo that consisted of various building blocks, symbolizing the elements of the project.
One of these central
elements is, contrary to the previous Creative Europe projects, the Weltmuseum
Wien was involved in, the element of nature, its importance and role globally and in
individual cultures, the knowledge surrounding it and how we are making use of
it both destructively and symbiotically. This nature is in peril due to us but
equally we can consider, as museums what our role can and should be in this
crisis. How do they have to revaluate and rethink themselves, going beyond
their original responsibilities (acquire, conserve, research, communicate and
exhibit).
Further aspects to consider while creating the logo were that the project will last several years and is on ongoing developing, growing and learning process. Moreover, it is also a Creative Europe co-funded project, which very much influences the way this project is approached creatively, inclusively and including several artistic elements such as residencies, exhibitions and an experimental publication.
It was my challenge to represent all these elements in a design for a project with 14 partners. As this logo was to be used on all communicative material for the project (homepages, social media channels, brochures, reports, publications,…) there was a further prerequisite for it to be memorable and adaptable.
The initial ideas where discussed with the local TAKING CARE Project Team Claudia Augustat and Doris Prlić, after which I made several designs, which were presented to the partners for their input and feedback at the Kick-Off-Meeting in November 2019.
It was a point of contention whether the light and vibrant nature of the logo represented a too-positive outlook on the theme of climate crisis and how it contributes to rising global insecurity and inequality. After this feedback process, I created three versions, which the partners voted on that leads us to today’s versions of the TAKING CARE Project Logo …
