Case study
Boston Art Review
Founded in 2018, Boston Art Review is a contemporary art nonprofit whose flagship product is a biannual print publication, seeking to bridge the gaps between coverage, criticism, and community engagement.
After they published their tenth issue, I was engaged to overhaul their brand and print product to support their evolution from just a magazine into a full nonprofit organization.
Disciplines
Branding, design, publication, research
Deliverables
Brand assets, creative direction, magazine layouts
Collaborators
BYSE Studio
Background and research
The organization’s original logo has been with them since their beginning, but sometimes posed challenges when implementing (specifically concerning the box around the type).
According to responses to a brand survey I conducted, the organization was not always a clear and consistent entity, and it was important to give them a clear aesthetic point of view.
Original logo
From the research and conversations with stakeholders, three mandates were created to guide the rebrand process:
Consistent Clear visual presentation of the organization through branded communications assets and print magazine.
Polished Sophisticated design presentation that attracts new audiences while not alienating the existing one (but not one that takes itself too seriously).
Versatile Support the print magazine equally as well as the community initiatives, website, and any other programs the organization embarks upon.
Unbox the art
The new Boston Art Review logo
Immediate legibility and recognition were the main goals of this new logo.
The focus of Boston Art Review is and always will be on the art featured within, so care was taken to not call too much attention to the logo itself while still giving it enough inherent personality with which to identify the brand.
The type is clean and recalls Swiss Modernism, indicating a strong design heritage while still remaining contemporary-feeling.
Further hallmarks of this style go on to inform the revised magazine layouts, carrying this sensibility throughout the brand.
Tote bag collab (Jane Louie Photography)
Staff at book fair
Icon as frame
Icon as frame on social tile
“I’m confident that our new brand will give us the flexibility to move with grace and energy through all of the exciting work we have on our horizon.”
—Jameson Johnson, founder and editor-in-chief
Event photo (Bountheng Takahone)
Turn the page
Original cover design
Revised cover design
The magazine cover was redesigned to optimize logo legibility and newsstand performance.
The layouts of the book were overhauled completely. Different lightly templated elements and sections were introduced to help visually guide readers through different types of articles.
Pictured throughout: Sample layouts created to illustrate the breadth of possibilities presented by the brand elements
“This new visual identity reinforces Boston Art Review’s position as a nonprofit arts organization committed to facilitating active discourse around contemporary art in Boston and beyond.”
—Jameson Johnson, founder and editor-in-chief
Event photo (Bountheng Takahone)
Conclusions
This rebrand coincided with Boston Art Review’s first strategic plan and announcement of its official 501(c)(3) status. A brand new website followed developed by BYSE Studio with a focus on navigability, integrated e-commerce, and mobile reading.
Boston Art Review continues to expand its offerings, seeking to elevate and give voice to individuals, perspectives, and subcultures under the umbrella of contemporary art and culture in Boston and beyond.