Introducing Culture Identities: Design for Museums, Theaters and Cultural Institutions

An inside look by designers and clients at graphic design’s main playground and proving ground—working for cultural institutions. Originality is the guiding principle of art and culture. The visual communication of museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions is no less pioneering. One would be hard pressed to find another area of graphic design in which the work is so fresh and experimental and so often blazes trails for future visual trends. Young designers often get their first breaks working for cultural institutions, where they can prove themselves creatively. Through work for these types of clients, established studios can also remain agile and experiment with new forms of visual expression. Today, cultural institutions are proving to be extraordinarily open to breaking new ground where art meets logos, culture meets commerce, and design meets curation. In this way, they are becoming catalysts for cutting-edge design concepts and innovative styles produced by designers who are often as visionary as the clients for whom they work. Introducing: Culture Identities is a collection of outstanding design work for international cultural institutions. The book features poster campaigns, publications, and corporate design—much of which is designed to function across various media platforms. Extensive features introduce relevant topics and lend insight from two key perspectives. On the one hand, the book gives voice to designers such as Bureau Mirko Borsche or the New York-based studio 2x4 who are especially active in the cultural field. On the other hand, readers hear from notables on the client side including MoMA, the Barbican, Van Abbemuseum, and documenta. With its collection of stunning visual examples, Introducing: Culture Identities reveals what is state-of-the-art in today’s graphic design. The book inspires designers and cultural institutions to understand each other better and continue to push the limit of what is possible creatively.