Mellon Foundation, Pentagram
Mellon Foundation
Pentagram, 2023
As part of the team at Pentagram, I worked on the rebrand for the Mellon Foundation, the largest funder of the arts and humanities in the US. The new identity was designed to reflect Mellon’s values of openness, adaptability, and leadership. I conceptualised the transformative and metamorphic qualities of the visual identity, designed key brand assets and guidelines, and developed the case study featured on the Pentagram site. The final identity includes a flexible “M” logomark that symbolises adaptability, paired with a contemporary serif wordmark, blending tradition with innovation.
Eddie Opara
Yuri Suzuki
Ken Deegan
Pedro Mendes
Mary Kate Henry
Issabella Hindley-Cupper
Ruben Gijselhart
Lili Phillips
Dana Reginiano
Thomas Campbell
Gabriel Vergara II
Maxwell Sterling
Tiffany Hultgren
Metamorphic Logomark
Central to this identity is a metamorphic logomark that embodies flexibility and adaptability. Resembling the gestures of the human hand, the mark highlights the Mellon Foundation's nurturing qualities while enabling material transformation. Its ability to shift in form and colour reinforces the Foundation's commitment to continuous evolution.
The identity's adaptive colour palette is crafted to complement various mediums, whether rendered in textures, moulded in 3D, or animated. This versatility allows the logomark to evoke a wide range of artistic expressions, from sculpture to dance, establishing a vibrant visual language that distinguishes itself from conventional philanthropic branding.
Additionally, a sonic identity was developed, drawing inspiration from the pioneering Black American composer Florence Price and her Symphony No. 1 in E Minor. This distinctive soundscape enhances the visual identity, enriching the Foundation’s narrative and strengthening its connection to its mission.
Through this comprehensive identity framework, the Mellon Foundation not only emphasises its core values but also fosters meaningful relationships with the communities it serves, bringing the remarkable creativity of its grantees into the spotlight.
