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Concept

“Okayama is where the ‘light of the south meets the shade and shadow of the north”. Yuko Hasegawa

The visual identity of the festival is inspired by the duality of light and shadow. The delicate fabrics of the local Hinoki studio influenced a series of visual meshes that are used with fresh, contemporary colours creating a feeling of lightness and transparency. These are combined with photography of Okayama’s nature to represent the festival’s symbiotic relationship with the landscape.

Comment

Okayama is a region blessed with many attributes, incredible landscapes and a deep historical tradition exist alongside diverse contemporary festivals, performances, and artistic practice. Seán Purdy, lead designer on the project says that it has been a pleasure working with Yuko Hasegawa and the Okayama team to create work that does justice to this unique setting. That the outcome is an identity that both embraces the beauty of the region’s past and demonstrate’s the festival’s aim to celebrate that legacy in a vibrant, contemporary context.

Designer Profile

Barnbrook Studio was founded by Jonathan Barnbrook in 1990. The studio works worldwide on a diverse range of cultural and social projects, believing that design can influence society in a positive way for change. The studio are most well known works for David Bowie record covers including his last album ‘Blackstar’ for which the studio won a grammy. It also has a strong relationship with Japan, creating the branding for Mori Art Museum and Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.