Leave A Mark

The idea behind the 2015 exhibition ‘Leave A Mark’, was a simple yet interesting idea. Putting a lot of the focus on the work of the students instead of the exhibition space, leaving the students work to speak for itself, something that sometimes gets forgotten. 

The branding of the exhibition was once again a nice change from the usual exhibitions opting for a minimal aesthetic. Using only two colours for the entirety of the branding, black and white. The logo of Leave A Mark was scribble, with every sub-exhibition having their own different scribble which represents their course. The initial idea was interesting but I believe the meaning of some of the logos might not have been understood.  The students also created a typeface for the exhibition to go along with the rest of the aesthetic, the typeface itself was quite interesting opting for a grungier, more organic look. 

When it came to marketing and advertising the events, the students set up a website along with the usual Facebook pages. The website featured a minimal interface, giving only vital information, a very interesting concept. Other marketing ideas featured stickers that people could take as a moment of the event, a booklet featuring work from MCAST students and t-shirts that students wore during the event. Overall I think the marketing aspect was smart, interesting and effective. 

Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre

The first thing that you notice about the Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre is the size of it, a rather large modern building with interesting architecture.

The majority of the light in this space was natural, as most rooms in the building featured a number of windows. Which is comforting for the patients. The only rooms that do not include a window or an outer light source are the radiation rooms, and this is done to combat the radiation emitted from the equipment. The artificial lighting used tries to replace a natural light as much as possible, using white light.

The space itself is highly functional, utilitarian in nature as it is a hospital. The hospital is also highly accessible with various lifts and ramps for wheelchairs. It is also connected to the main Mater Dei hospital through a bridge. The majority of the flooring of the hospital is made from a special type of vinyl surface, this is to combat and prevent infections and diseases.As it is a hospital sounds are kept to a minimum to keep from disturbing patients and staff. The only audible sounds are those of doors, equipment and chatter between the staff. The whole experience could be quite eerie. 

The hospital was fitted with an air filtration system which replaces the air every few minutes, this reduces smells and possible infection. The hospital also uses a colour coded system to signify different wards and parts of the hospital, each ward fitted with various signs with a large readable typeface, making it easier to navigate.

Battersea Power Station

In 2014 the Battersea Power Station Development Company chose the creative production agency Drive Productions to create a powerful visual experience to celebrate the power station in its original form for the final time before redevelopment plans.

The main themes of this project were community, history and the unique charm of the power station. The projection show began with a classic Art Deco visual style, showcasing the unique chimneys and original design features, such as Gilbert Scott’s bronze doors. This projection mapping was also the world’s first silent projection mapping show, as users were given wireless headphones in order to listen to the audio being broadcasted. A specially created soundtrack written and recorded in Drive’s studio, making this projection a 4D spectacle. Throughout the show guests were engrossed in the remarkable history and thrilling future of the Power Station, finding themselves transferred into darkness during the shift away from coal energy, a literal metaphor, and reignited by the likes of fashion shows and extreme sporting events which had previously taken place on location.

The phrase ‘The Power is Back On’ flashed in front of the huddled audience introducing the re-powering phase of the development. Inspiring visuals covered the façade of the power station, showcasing the regeneration and revitalization of the development. Battersea Power Station Development Company and Drive have worked closely together to use large scale projection mapping to convey a real and impactful message to the community in which The Power Station sits about the future of the local environment.

In my opinion I think that this projection was very well executed and had inventive ideas, showcasing historical elements from the power stations’ inception up until present day. The animation used featured a number of mixed media, using 2D animation, 3D animation and also moving image; all combined together seamlessly and in an organic fashion. The only negative aspect is the typography used when the ‘The Power is Back On’ flashed, I believe the typography chosen could have been more effective and relevant to the rest of the projection.

Valletta 1566 Melita Renascence

The Valletta 1566 Melita Renascence exhibition takes us through the history of Valletta, showcasing various important artifacts throughout Maltese history. As soon one enters the main room, you're greeted by an antique architectural model of Valletta, which establishes the tone of the exhibition.  A few feet away is a short documentary which explains the history of Valletta. The documentary itself was informative and interesting, it was also split onto two different screens both showing different imagery.

While this might have been an innovative idea, it may also cause the viewer to be confused by what is happening as there is more than one screen to focus on.  The area the documentary was shown in was an interesting cinema theatre-esque seating set up, with a number of benches available. During the documentaries a little circular timer could be seen on the side of the screens, this was an indicator to show interested visitors how long they'd have to wait to watch the documentary from the beginning.

The exhibit also featured an interactive element which is not often utilised, using the sense of smell. It displayed a number of tubes which featured a number of different herbs and spices such as nutmeg, sesame seeds and rosemary, which would be available at various establishments in Valletta.

The exhibition space contained a number of informational signs, all of which featured 50 words or less in order not to exhaust the reader and keep them interested. This was a great idea, as many times a visitor would see a block of text and get disheartened from reading the entirety of the text and simply move on; an interesting interactive feature they could have introduced was using either NFC tags or QR codes that visitors could scan to get more information or a video related to the piece. Throughout the exhibition the lighting was dim and rather dark, in order not to damage the pieces on show. Despite it being dim and dark I think it did not hinder the exhibition and in someway complimented the vibe.

The the accessibility of the exhibition was well thought out, with a number of ramps being introduced for wheelchairs access and also limiting the number of stairs. Making it virtually accessible for everyone. The exhibit did not include any specific direction signage, leaving the visitors to roam as they wish. As for safety, the exhibition included a number of fire extinguishers in both main rooms to extinguish any potential fires that might break out. If that were to happen the location could be easily vacated as both main rooms are close to the main exit.

List Of Places

Museums:

• National Museum of Fine Arts - Valletta
• National War Museum - Valletta
• National Museum of Archeology - Valletta
• Malta Maritime Museum - Birgu
• Inquisitor’s Palace - Birgu
• National Museum of Natural History - Mdina
• Wignacourt Museum - Rabat
• The Cathedral Museum - Mdina
• Malta Aviation Museum - Ta’ Qali 

Exhibitions/ Exhibition Spaces:

• Studio 104 - Valletta
• Bodyless - Birgu
• Blitz - Valletta
• Spazzju Kreattiv - Valletta

Public Spaces:

• Mater Dei Hospital - Swatar
• National Aquarium - Bugibba
• The Point - Sliema
• Embassy - Valletta
• Baystreet - St. Julians
• Ta’ Qali National Stadium - Ta’ Qali
• Esplora - Kalkara

Comic Sans For Cancer

Comics Sans for Cancer is an exhibition of posters inspired by the 20th anniversary of the typeface Comic Sans (the font we all love to hate), with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK. To celebrate the anniversary, over 500 designers and artists from 38 countries have created posters showing what Comic Sans means to them.

The venue chosen for the exhibition to be displayed in was a rather large one, which featured large light boxes in which all the artwork was displayed upon with a number of binder clips, which reduced the need for other light sources in the room.  The overall exhibition features a minimalist style, which puts the emphasis on the exhibition solely on the artwork. The majority of the artwork on show was in A2/A3 format, with all prints being available for sale to raise money for cancer research.

The Happy Show - Stefan Sagmeister

In this exhibition Stefan Sagmeister, gives a perfect example of what can happen when graphic design and art collide.

Entitled 'The Happy Show', the exhibition is punctuated with social data gathered from Harvard psychologists Daniel Gilbert and Steven Pinker, anthropologist Donald Symons, psychologist Jonathan Haidt, as well as several prominent historians.

Questioning your happiness and indeed, what it means to be happy. The exhibition features various installations, interactive artworks, large typographical displays and more. Sagmeister also used interactivity such as; the installation where the viewer rides a bike and with the energy that is produced by the bike, a typographic installation lights up and shows various messages. The floor surface used for the exhibit looks like it is a grey concrete floor, which gives it an industrial look. Sagmeister also uses various different objects to portray his work such as an elevator, stairs, sticky notes stuck onto walls, etc.