I have been asked to produce a museum exhibition display piece and related promotional collateral design to celebrate 1950s Film Noir; the exhibition took place at the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK; the museum’s logo has been a part of the design.
I wanted to create a delicate balance between the interpretation of the genre and the artistic expression influenced by Saul Bass. The final purpose is promotional; therefore, I intended to create a poster that was either eye-catching and easy to understand. What identifies the poster is the feeling of claustrophobia typical of film noir: the elements, starting with the title, are trapped by a multitude of events that distract attention from the main focus by making every single element (even in the background) as necessary. The viewer is thus forced to jump from one detail to another, trying to understand its narrative.
As a tote-bag is pretty much a feminine item I decided to only place the Femme Fatale. The title of the exhibition is placed clear in the center as well as the Museum Logo.
Merchandise like t-shirts and tote-bags are a great alternative to
promote the exhibition and at the same time nice pieces of design to wear. Branding here was the ultimate purpose so I got rid of the details and the dates, and I played
around with the elements/illustrations I developed during the process.
