Laboratory 12
Services
Brand IdentityTypeface design
Environments
Client
Fashion Space GalleryYear
2016Benjamin John Hall, Fashion Space Gallery’s first design resident, drew inspiration from current geopolitical issues and espionage. His starting point and continued focus of interest is the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko. The title of this exhibition: Laboratory 12. One name for the KGB’s secret poison laboratory tasked with developing colourless, tasteless, odourless poisons. One such poison, Polonium, was identified as Litvinenko’s cause of death.
Through a collection of highly engineered footwear, Hall explores the extent to which governments potentially could, or already are, securing their best interests in a current global political and economic environment that is marked by uncertainty. All eight pairs of shoes on display in this exhibition are unique. Each highlights a specific notion or concept unearthed through his extensive research into documented tactics used by various security agencies worldwide. These range from subtle psychological warfare, to concealed recording devices.
We crafted the graphic identity, the exhibition graphics, the invitation and the marketing items for the exhibition at the Fashion Space Gallery. Central to the concept of the identity was our modified version of the typeface ‘Balkan Sans’. We selected this font as the only identity tool for the promotion and visual manifestation of the exhibition. Our intention: to reference the notion of encryption — a tactic used by spies and politically motivated (secret) organisations, according to Hall’s research.
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