Public Art Programs

Ideas That Matter Recognizes Charity Ball

By Delphine Hirasuna | May 9, 2014September 4, 2014

“Charity Ball” is one of the many innovative nonprofit programs supported in part by Ideas That Matter, a grants initiative developed by Sappi Fine Paper exclusively for those in the design business. Knowing that designers are frequently asked to donate their services to create promotional campaigns (print and digital) for nonprofit causes, Sappi came up with a grant program to help defray production expenses for public awareness and fund-raising materrials. Since it was founded in 1999, Ideas That Matter has funded more than 500 programs for a total of more than $12 million worldwide for nonprofit programs that benefit communities, the environment, the planet, quality of life and human health. Charity Ball is just one of those programs. July 11th is the deadline for applying for a 2014 Ideas That Matter grant. Read how to apply by clicking on the Sappi Ideas That Matter link in the sponsor’s column at left.

Advertising

Local Billboard Ad Campaign

By Delphine Hirasuna | August 20, 2013September 4, 2014

Sometimes a literal visualization of a message is the most effective one. These billboards by creative agency Extra Credit Projects in Grand Rapid, Michigan, promote the services of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, an 80-bed rehab center in Grand Rapids. On the all-text billboard ads, the ailment to be treated is clear; nothing more need be said or shown to improve understanding.

As an aside, the name of the hospital itself has a fascinating origin. In 1891, a group of women in Grand Rapids sought to provide medical care for people with limited financial means by asking everyone named Mary, as well as those who knew anyone named Mary, to donate money to secure a free bed in one of the local hospitals. The so-called Mary Free Bed Guild went on to raise funds for convalescent and orthopedic centers for disabled children. In 1966, the program, expanded to care for spinal injury and stroke adult patients, was renamed Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.

Advertising

Yesterday Channel’s Historical Makeovers

By Delphine Hirasuna | May 15, 2013September 4, 2014

Would you like history better if everything wasn’t so old? This ad campaign to promote UKTV Yesterday Channel’s new 14- part series called “The Secret Life of…” makes over famous figures to help us understand how they might present themselves if they were alive today. The Yesterday channel — which uses the tagline “Entertainment inspired by history” — commissioned award-winning author/historian Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb to work with a team of digital artists to give classic portraits an up-to-date twist. Queen Elizabeth I looks like an “iron lady” CEO who enjoys downsizing under performers.

Brand Logos

Russian Shawl Museum

By Delphine Hirasuna | January 25, 2013September 4, 2014

When this museum’s main attraction is a shawl, its ingenious to drape one in a way to form the logotype “M”, as Moscow designer Vova Lifanov did for the History Museum of the Russian Shawl in Pavlovsky Posad. The colorful, lavishly patterned shawl is a national symbol of Russia. Like Russia itself, the shawl traces its roots to a mix of East Asian and European influences. Centuries ago trade with Persia popularized the wearing of Persian shawls bearing decorative patterns that looked strikingly similar to Persian rugs. The word “shawl” itself is of Persian origin. When Russia began producing its own shawls, it integrated its own Russian ornamentation into the design. Lifanov captured all this for the museum by creating a flexible identity program that allows the use of different patterns and colors on objects ranging from business cards to shopping bags and coffee mugs.

Motion Graphics

Hyundai’s Hyper-Matrix Block Party

By Delphine Hirasuna | September 21, 2012September 4, 2014

At the Expo 2012 in Korea, Hyundai Motor Group staged a mind-blowing display using a controller area network (CAN) called mechatronic. This is a message-based protocol originally designed for automotive applications and now also used in areas such as industrial automation and medical equipment. Hyundai’s Hyper-Matrix installation was designed by Seoul media arts firm Jonpasang. In just two months, the team built a mammoth three-sided display out of thousands of Styrofoam blocks that could be manipulated like pixels.The 11-inch cubes were driven by 3,375 customized actuators and stepping motors that moved the blocks back and forth according to a specially prescribed program. The high-speed data transfer program constantly reconfigured the cubes to create a mesmerizing show.