Marwan Kaabour, an MA Graphic Design graduate, has just completed work on the V&A’s current exhibition ‘Disobedient Objects’. With a history in political design, Barnbrook Design, where Marwan works, was commissioned to design the visual identity, exhibition graphics, book and marketing campaign for the exhibition.
We caught up with Marwan to find out more about the design process and inspiration.
“The exhibition identity was centred around a prominent theme of the exhibition; the ingenious transformation of everyday objects into weapons of social change. Intrinsic to our thinking was a hope that the Disobedient Objects will be viewed not just as activist objects but as thoughtfully designed objects.
“In the spirit of the exhibition, the book designed to accompany the exhibition surpasses conventional definitions of an exhibition catalogue. As well as a series of how-to guides, the book contains six essays and round-table discussions that deal in rich detail with the themes highlighted by the exhibition. The essays are illustrated with images of the objects in context.
“Each essay opens with a list of (disobedient) objects that are subject to the same call to arms as the book cover and posters. The same objects are underlined throughout the book, offering an alternative reading of the texts; disobedient quotes that crudely interrupted the text. In a spirit of openness, the book features an exposed spine thereby revealing its own construction and highlighting a red thread that runs throughout.
“The posters take on the technical language of a user manual with hope to empower the audience and have them create disobedient objects of their own.”