Sydney Contemporary

Bringing the art 
to the people.



2018 — 2021




LOGO BY COMMON

Taking place annually at Carriageworks in Redfern, Sydney Contemporary is an art fair that features curated exhibitions and ambitious programming, appealing to everyone from the serious collector to the novice. 

In 2018 I was invited by the fair to produce a design system that could be customised and rolled out across three future years while retaining the existing branding created by studio Common.


2018 external signage

With a thriving contemporary art scene, Sydney is a dynamic cultural destination with an international reputation for presenting the very best in visual art through its leading commercial galleries, public institutions, private museums, festivals and Biennale. Defined by the vibrancy of its host city, Sydney Contemporary provides collectors, industry professionals and the art loving public access to cutting-edge art from some of the world’s most respected artists and galleries as well as the opportunity to discover new, emerging talent.

Sydney Contemporary welcomes over 90 galleries from around the world and showcases the work of over 400 leading and emerging artists from more than 12 countries.

2018 external signage

2018 external signage


2019 campaign design update


Alongside the galleries are curated sectors for installation art and performance as well as an ambitious program that includes engaging panel discussions, guided tours, educational workshops and an extensive VIP Program. The fair is also home to pop-up restaurants by Sydney’s much-loved dining institutions, making it an all-encompassing art and dine experience.

Billed as one of the most celebrated events on Australia’s cultural calendar, Sydney Contemporary has established itself as a must-attend art event and the perfect place to discover and collect modern and contemporary art.


internal wayfinding


internal wayfinding

A significant challenge imposed by the brief was to create something striking and memorable, but that wouldn’t be confused with a work of art at the fair. It needed to stand apart from the content of the event while also clearly representing its nature and its quality. It also had to support the existing branding, which the client did not want to change. 

My initial concept was a bespoke geometric font that would display the year and be rendered in colours inspired by the city (eg. the harbour, for 2018) but this eventually morphed into a simple pattern featuring overlapping and blending palette. The idea was that this would allow for greater flexibility across the many campaign executions, would allow for an animated version, and could easily be adapted for future years.


2018 campaign art


2018 website


2018 flyer


2018 tickets


2018 floorplan


2018 street flags


2018 advertising


sydney contemporary


sydneycontemporary.com.au





Made on Awabakal & Worimi Lands