Hasta La Ideas

Another bit of news about the Barnes Foundation, following a post we had up earlier in the week about the organization setting a date to open their new and controversial Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects-designed building in Philadelphia. Our friends at Pentagram have this week posted information on the branding and identity work partner Abbott Miller has created for the new location. The logo is based off of the coloring of Matisse’s Joy of Life, resulting in a muted but strong, modern orange, laid out in a form based related to Albert Barnes‘ sketches for the original gallery. The main font within the logo is Milo, created by Mike Abbink, with Monitor just below, spelling out the full name of the organization. In addition to the identity, Miller and his Pentagram pals are also working on a site redesign (launched this week), as well as “environmental graphics and interpretative displays and materials.” Here’s a bit from their write-up about Miller’s process:

To develop the identity Miller conducted extensive research of the Barnes estate and the original building at Merion. The identity’s form was suggested by a sketch by Barnes of one of his signature arrangements, a symmetrical row of paintings. Miller recognized the layout as “the DNA of Dr. Barnes’ vision,” a motif that captures the museum’s unique environment and Barnes’ singular view of art. The logo consists of a row of rectangles that recall the centered, axial hanging at the Barnes, each form containing a letter of the museum’s name. The letters play with positive and negative space, referencing the Barnes’ intention to read across works and make connections.

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