Typographic research: MOMA
PICtures by Women: A History of Modern Photography
This is the first part of a two-part project. I was tasked with creating a booklet for an exhibit that will be showcased in 2023 that reimagined and reinvented a previous exhibit by MoMA. I selected “Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography”. The original exhibit was dedicated to only photography work by women, it highlighted that works by women have consistently been overlooked and ignored over the years. I chose to focus the reimagined exhibit on three African American photographers that are seen as pioneers in America; Ming Smith, Carrie Mae Weems, and Lorna Simpson.
This research involved understanding MoMA’s typographic and visual history and also the context of the original exhibit. I also researched typesets that will be used in the booklet and worked with MoMA’s type which is based on Franklin Gothic. This project closed by deciding on a type for each aspect of the booklet.
References
BP&O. (n.d.). MoMA logo [Photograph]. https://bpando.org/2020/01/02/moma-by-order/
Butler, C., & Schwartz, A. (Eds.). (2010). Modern women: Women artists at the Museum of Modern Art. The Museum of Modern Art.
Carrie Mae Weems. (n.d.). Biography. http://carriemaeweems.net/bio.html
Fonts. (n.d.). Clarendon. https://www.fonts.com/font/bitstream/clarendon-bt/story
Grapheine. (2019, May 19). Who is the PoPA of the MoMA logo? Thoughts on concept branding. https://www.grapheine.com/divers/qui-est-le-popa-du-logo-moma-et-autres-reflexions- sur-le-branding-contemporain
Griesel, T. (2010). Installation view of the exhibition “Pictures by women: History of modern photography (Part I) [Photograph]. MoMA. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibi- tions/1038?installation_image_index=2
Griesel, T. (2010). Installation view of the exhibition “Pictures by women: History of modern photography (Part I) [Photograph]. MoMA. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibi- tions/1038?installation_image_index=8
Harrop, A. (2015, March 12). Futura: A history of the world’s most loved geometric typeface. Green Course Hub. https://www.green-coursehub.com/research-blog/futura-a-history-of-the- worlds-most-loved-geometric-typeface
Hellotickets. (n.d.). MoMA museum entrance [Photograph]. https://www.hellotickets.com/us/new- york/moma-artworks/sc-1-1941
Made Thought. (n.d.). MoMA. https://www.madethought.com/work/moma
MoMA. (n.d.). About us. https://www.moma.org/about/
MoMA. (n.d.). Mission Statement. https://www.moma.org/about/mission-statement/
MoMA. (n.d.). Carrie Mae Weems: From here I saw what happened and I cried. https://www.moma.
Martin, C. (2014, November 03). Characteristics of Clarendon. Charlotte Martin Designs. https:// charlottemartindesigns.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/characteristics-of-clarendon/
Ming Smith Studio. (n.d.). Biography. https://mingsmithstudio.com/about
org/collection/works/45579
MoMA. (n.d.). Lorna Simpson: Wigs. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/73745
MoMA. (1922). Lillie P. Bliss, c.; Mary Quinn Sullivan; Abby Aldrich Rockefeller [Photograph]. https://www.moma.org/interactives/moma_through_time/1920/three-women-have-a-vi- sion/
MoMA PS1. (n.d.). About. https://www.momaps1.org/about
Pentagram. (n.d.). MoMA. https://www.pentagram.com/work/moma/story
Murray, Y. M. (2020, September 23). Ming Smith’s pioneering excavations of black femininity. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/ming-smiths-pioneer- ing-excavations-of-black-femininity
Ruderman, I. (2017, August 01). Evolution, not revolution!. Type.today. https://type.today/en/jour- nal/moma_sans
Simpson, L. (1994). Wigs [Photograph]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, United States. https:// www.moma.org/collection/works/73745
Smith, M. (1979). Oolong’s nightmare, Save the children (for Marvin Gaye) [Photograph]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, United States. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/55307
Storozonysky, T. (2021. April 08). Behind the Font: Why the Futura typeface never looks dated. Ex- tensis. https://www.extensis.com/blog/why-the-futura-typeface-never-looks-dated
The New Yorker. (n.d.). Pictures by women: History of modern photography. https://www.newyork- er.com/goings-on-about-town/art/pictures-by-women-a-history-of-modern-photography
Weems, C. M. (1995-96). From here I saw what happened and I cried [Photograph]. Museum of Mod- ern Art, New York, United States. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/45579