Today, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (formerly the Santa Monica Museum of Art) revealed its new logo and visual identity, which was designed in collaboration with artist Mark Bradford. The ICA LA’s makeover will grace its new wHY architecture firm-designed location, currently under construction in downtown Los Angeles, when it opens in fall 2017.
Bradford’s work typically incorporates social and political ephemera, such as flyers and graffiti’d stencils, to create multi-layered snapshots of society that blur the lines between high and low culture. Speaking about the ICA project in a press statement, Bradford said:
“I wanted to be a part of propelling ICA LA and its long history in Santa Monica forward as it moves to its new home in downtown. The logo and treatment reference merchant posters found from LA’s Westside to Eastside, which point to the fluidity of both economics and culture.”
The “merchant posters” Bradford refers to feature black text on bright yellow backgrounds, a design that will be mirrored on the building.
It’s a busy moment for Bradford. Next year he will be the representative for the United States at the Venice Biennale.