CENTER FOR LATIN & LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER
Strategist Courtney Yamada and myself worked to uncover three values which would determine the scope of this rebrand.
These ideas can be defined as follows: Latin America is no monolith and therefore cannot be represented by a singular cultural identity; subsequently, its history - one shaped by colonialism, cannot be ignored and one must acknowledge that its history is still present today. These two values brought me to the conclusion that the logo should challenge Western design conventions. Conventions which were influenced by the prevailing minimalist philosophy. To achieve this, I wanted to play with texture and to introduce this into the research center’s visual identity.
A linocut exploration of an earlier direction.
I also wanted to redefine Western perceptions of the pre-hispanic as well as contemporary Latin American arts (e.g., textiles and pottery) to assert that a handcrafted touch communicates both quality and care. Leaning into this, I began exploring linocut techniques for early iterations of the logotype.
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