Robert Motherwell wars end and brands fade A guide to Motherwell for brand makers

3 features of Motherwell’s brand:

1. identity communicating violence 2. storytelling for a world gone wrong 3. what we need when brands fade and stories end

how do you create a visual identity violent enoughto communicate life and death, war and lost love?

‘ the deepest discoveries have to do with the artist’s materials ’ Robert Motherwell

let the materials tell the story: his paper is torn; paint is splattered, andcolours are stained

find parallels

splatter tear

stain

how do you differentiate your message from all the others?

the good reporter: plain, truthful events; don’t take sides, or judge the good brand maker: clear on what’s in and what’s out of the brand

‘‘ art is a form of action ... one enters the studio as an arena ’’ Robert Motherwell

some examples ...

His revolution works (the Mexican Revolution): dead and alive: images of life and assassination

His Elegy series (to the Spanish Civil War): body parts communicate waste of war

His Je t’aime series (a love cry): one message expressing the two extremes of finding and losing love

His Opens series (power of colour): colours attack the human senses

but some of his colours have faded and the wars of his generation have been displaced by our wars.

So, he shows us what we need when wars end and brands fade

the brand message:

no war ended all wars:no revolution ended human struggle

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