The Warsaw Ghetto Museum

Separated people and torn city

The Warsaw Ghetto Museum is a museum of the history of Warsaw Jews during World War II, in Warsaw, Poland. Currently it is under construction, and its opening is scheduled for 2023, on the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The institution’s officials announced an international competition for visual identity of the Museum.

The winner of the competition is a Lithuania based studio, DADADA. Their concept —a dynamic identity of typography which can produce the victims’ names unlimitedly— is nice because it shows that it was not only a tragedy of human beings but also uncountable tragedies of individuals.

However, I would like to think about the one not chosen, by a Warsaw based studio, Redkroft.

Torn and separated individuals

We based the concept on the idea of tearing, as nearly a third of Warsaw residents were separated from the rest and imprisoned in the Ghetto. To emphasize the dramatic nature of these events, we split 1/3 of the capital’s name. At the same time, in communication, we emphasized bringing visitors closer to the individual profiles of Ghetto prisoners.
— Redkroft project page

At the first sight on applications, for example a poster above, the bright blue and the photo of a sad gaze might catch your attention but the IDENTITY is the torn paper effect and the space in the name of the museum. It represents the separation of Warsaw’s people.

For the logo, maybe without the explanation, it is difficult to understand the meaning of the space and it might cause a lack of legibility. But on the other hand, it has a potential on applications such as doors and a corner like the presentation showed. And also, I like the inorganic, but not tech feel, logotype because it brings a cold atmosphere of the ghetto.

The torn paper effect works very well, and WILL work too. It is obvious that it captures a sadness of the tragedy, but it would be really effective if it’s torn in true. For instance, if the ticket-collecter tears your tickets with a coercive attitude, it could be a nice effect to enter the “ghetto”.

Since it was not chosen, this identity concept won’t become a true. But for memorizing a “tragedy” — such a good one was not chosen—, it is worth to share this story.

More from Redkroft project page