Exhibition Branding & Poster Design for the University of the District of Columbia’s “Gallery 42”


Since 2014, I have been tasked with developing exhibition branding for a variety of monthly installations at the University of the District of Columbia. Poster design served as the cornerstone format for elevating Gallery 42’s marketing efforts with digital and social media formats rounding things out. Each show afforded me the opportunity to design in varying styles and conceptual approaches and I am quite proud of the work that’s been created. Included below are select designs that stand out as my favorites.

Current

Art shows featuring multiple artists typically provide an opportunity to work in a broad conceptual spectrum. The University of the District of Columbia’s 2017 faculty exhibition titled “Current” offered the chance to push typographic boundaries and break some “design rules” along the way. Taking inspiration from Adrian Frutiger, David Carson and stylistic cues from the Dada art movement; I coupled a sense of motion with a process that reflected the concept of time. An abstract palimpsest background reinforces the idea of past/present and is paired with a dynamic typographic composition full of rhythmic contrast. Together the elements provide a visual that speaks to the dual nature of the word “Current” and an aesthetic that represents the varied faculty disciplines.

Current - Poster Design - Jacob Robison

Political Arena

Poster design for “Political Arena” an art exhibition featuring the political caricatures of Carlos Hernandez. My approach to the type design aimed to blend cheesy political advertising with vintage boxing broadsides.

October 2016

Political Arena Poster Design
Website Banner

World Turning

Poster design and social media assets for UDC’s 2016 student art show titled “World Turning.” The organic and artistic qualities of this design were inspired by Polish posters of the 20th century. Hand-lettered typography combines with custom illustration to create a striking composition echoing the quality art in this year’s juried showcase.

April 2016

World Turning Poster Design

Creative Sparks

Promotional poster for the 2015 student art show “Creative Sparks” at the University of the District of Columbia.

April 2015

Creative Sparks Poster

Faculty Exhibition

Poster design for UDC’s 2015 exhibition featuring the faculty of the school’s Art Program. Swiss style inspired design was implemented to echo the refined nature of the faculty artwork.

March 2015

Faculty Poster Design
UDC Faculty Poster Design

Melting Pot Harlem

Poster design for “Melting Pot Harlem” an exhibition featuring art inspired by literary works of the Harlem Renaissance. My custom illustration & typography sought to reflect the gritty realism of this important era in American history.

February 2015

Poster Design Melting Pot Harlem

Provision

The annual “Provision” exhibition highlights alumni from the University of the District of Columbia’s art program that have gone on to excel in their careers in art. The 2014 show will display work from 18 former students in a variety of disciplines including studio art, graphic design, web design and photography. The custom isometric typography and three individual color schemes were inspired by the show’s multi-dimensional nature and wide array of exhibited talent. Red, Green & Blue – These primary additive colors can combine to produce a broad array of colors. Like the collective of artists being showcased, they represent the combination of many talents, backgrounds and perspectives.

October 2014

Provision Poster Design Blue
Provision Poster Design Green
Provision Poster Design Red
Provision Sketch

Chaotic Attractors

The typography for this poster represents a sense of controlled chaos and interconnectedness among seemingly disparate entities – themes consistent with fractals. Self-similar forms such as the Sierpinski gasket (triangle) and Apollonian gasket (circle) are represented to reinforce the nature of fractal iteration.

September 2014

Chaotic Attractors Poster Design

Making Waves

The typography for this poster was inspired by artists who rock the proverbial boat of the status quo. Art facilitating change, pushing boundaries and promoting the greater good.

April 2014

Poster Design Making Waves