♦ BRANDING

Sisters Dina and Rhonda Mitrani have been at the center of the Miami art before Wynwood was Wynwood. Installing themselves in the former warehouse district, they fostered creativity by exhibiting and inviting photographers and filmmakers in their studios. A decade later, they were ready to build a new cultural institution, Mitrani Art.

Mitrani Art is a unique lens-based non-profit organization in Miami dedicated to the cultivation of photography and new media for artists, students, and members of our diverse community.

Our objective was to create a new brand that reflects the ethos of the organization. An identity tapping into the family history while hinting at aspects of video and photography. The client only had one suggestion: they wanted to play with the words ART, which are also found inverted in the middle of MITRANI. Such requests can sometimes limit a project. In this case, we took on the challenge.

The chosen direction draws inspiration from two references. First, the technical drawings for the original concept of the “Camera Obscura.” The triangular shape created by the focal point gives us the shape. And second, the reenactment of a Bauhaus choreography ads the idea of movement.

We combined the movement and outlines, to create a set of shapes, demonstrating the center’s initials. This represents both the still and the moving aspects of photography and video. With infinite combinations mimicking the infinite seconds a camera can capture a moment. This direction offered a dynamic brand design and animated logo that morphs to be used in representing the multifaceted aspects of the center.

In the brand application phase, the newly crafted visual identity was seamlessly integrated across diverse touchpoints, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand presence.

Offline, the transformation extended to print collateral, merch, and physical spaces, unifying the brand experience.

Online, we found a way to incorporate the client’s only request. By animating the word MITRANI, with the movement like a camera shutter. The logo flips over the TRA and flips back as ART.

The strategic application of the visual elements not only enhanced brand recognition but also contributed to a compelling and consistent narrative, reinforcing the brand's values at every point of engagement.