detail of corporate identity for the 17th biennale of sydney designed by barnbrook

british graphic designer and typographer jonathan barnbrook was commissioned to create an expansive visual identity for the 17th biennale of sydney 2010 in australia, including the catalogue. he developed the corporate identity as a modular system so that it could be arranged in various ways.

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 2 corporate identity for the 17th biennale of sydney designed by barnbrook

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 3 view of cockatoo island with official signage –  barnbrook developed the biennale’s visual identity image © designboom

according to jonathan barnbrook: ‘design shapes the environment, changing the way we perceive things and informing our choices. design is a culturally valid form of expression with something to say’.

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 4 17th biennale of sydney city banners by barnbrook

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 5 ‘a cock or two: a prison, a gallery’, 2010 typographic phrase on aluminium sheet photo by designboom

barnbrook has also created a series of site-specific typographic phrases ‘a cock or two’, which appear across cockatoo island, the main venue of the biennale. here the design reads ‘a prison, a gallery. both rarified spaces, a confidence trick means residence here.’

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 6 ‘a cock or two: a prison, a gallery’, 2010 typographic phrase on aluminium sheet image © designboom

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 7 ‘a cock or two: ships were once built here’, 2010 typographic phrase on aluminium sheet image © designboom

‘ships were once built here, across the water, to see the newest empty vessels.’

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 8 ‘a cock or two: ships were once built here’, 2010 (detail) typographic phrase on aluminium sheet photo by designboom

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 9 ‘the cockatoos still continue to preen themselves while we all applaud’ typographic phrase on aluminium sheet image © designboom

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 10 jonathan barnbrook portrait © designboom

jonathan barnbrook at biennale of sydney 2010 - 11 ‘no danger of attack. great white toothless (and very, very rich) sharks bask here’ typographic phrase on aluminium sheet image © designboom

jonathan barnbrook was born in luton, UK in 1966. since graduating in graphic design from st. martin’s school of art and the royal college of art in london, jonathan barnbrook has developed a multi-faceted practice that includes activism, graphic and typeface design, industrial design and motion graphics. he has previously art directed for adbusters, the anti-corporate collective.