Paula Scher designs the new fall campaign for the Public Theater

source: Pentagram

New Work: The Public Theater 2012-13 Season Campaign

"Open Public" print advertisement from Sunday's edition of The New York Times.

This fall the Public Theater opens a major revitalization of its New York home that will transform the institution’s lobby into a public piazza and gathering space. For the Public, the update marks not just a time to renovate the space, but an opportunity to reinvigorate its messaging. Pentagram’s Paula Scher has designed a bold institutional campaign for the Public that celebrates its status as a theater for the “public.” The campaign launched with a full-page print advertisement in this Sunday’s New York Times. A diverse cultural institution, the Public is the only theater that produces Shakespeare and the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces—works with social relevance, dealing with real topics, that also provide uplifting entertainment. In the words of Oskar Eustis, the Public’s artistic director, “The Public Theater is, and always has been, for the people.” Themed “Public Open,” the fall campaign celebrates the institution as a whole and reaffirms the Public’s tradition of merging art and popular taste. The campaign promotes the various components of programming at the Public, including Shakespeare in the Park, Public Lab, Joe’s Pub, the annual Under the Radar Festival, the Public Forum, the Emerging Writers Group and the Mobile Unit.

Poster for "Giant," one of this season's productions. 

The Public Theater is housed in the former Astor Library, a 158-year-old landmark on Lafayette Street in New York’s East Village. The new $40 million renovation is the first upgrade since the Public opened in the building in 1967. Designed by Ennead Architects, the revitalization features a redesigned entry, expanded lobby, centralized box office and restoration of the façade that adds a canopy and moves the building’s steps back onto the sidewalk. The reconfigured lobby will feature “Shakespeare Machine,” a new multimedia sculpture by Ben Rubin, as well as a gallery of Public Theater posters designed by Scher over the years. The space will be rededicated on October 4.
Scher has designed the graphics for the Public since 1994, including a refresh of the identity in 2008. The posters and advertisements of the 2012-13 campaign appear in a palette of white, red and black (the colors of the first institutional campaign Scher designed for the Public back in 1994), with the phrase “Open (The) Public” prominently placed in the bold typography of the identity. The design plays off the tagline with extensive white space and features dynamic and dramatically cropped photography of the performers. 
The posters designed for this season’s productions will be installed in new poster boxes at the Public’s entrance. Scher is also designing the program of environmental graphics for the new lobby. 
As part of the opening celebration Scher will present a free lecture about her work for the Public Theater on Sunday, October 21 at 2:30 pm. Call 212-967-7555 for tickets.

Poster for "Wild With Happy."

Poster for "Here Lies Love."

Poster for the 2013 Under the Radar Festival.
Project Team: Paula Scher, partner-in-charge and designer; Rafael Medina, designer.

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폴라 셰어 하면 역시 퍼블릭 씨어터 디자인이 가장 유명하다.
21세기에 업그레이드 된 폴라 셰어의 퍼블릭 씨어터 디자인.
글자들이 빼곡하게 차 있었던 이전 버전에 비해 새 버전은 여백의 미를 살렸다.
폴라 셰어 본인은 이메일 보내는 정도로 밖에 컴퓨터를 다룰 줄 모른다고 
몇 년 전 인터뷰에서 얘기했던 걸 본 적이 있다. 지금은 어떨까...?
물론 아이디어는 본인이 냈겠지만 본인이 이걸 직접 컴퓨터에 앉아서 디자인했을지 궁금하다.
경력이 길진 않지만 미국서 쬐끄만 디자인 스튜디오에서 디자이너로 일해 본 내 경험에 의하면
윗분이 끄적끄적 스케치 해서 주면 내가 알아서 컴퓨터로 작업을 했다.
폴라 셰어가 여태 각종 강연장에서 보여준 자신의 스케치 이미지를 보면 
내가 윗분의 스케치 받아 컴퓨터로 작업했던 방식과 크게 다르지 않을 듯.
물론 폴라 셰어 대단하긴 하지만 사실 이런 디자인 프로젝트라는 게 혼자 감당할 수 없는 규모라
팀원들의 수고를 무시할 순 없을텐데 늘 폴라 셰어 혼자 다 한 것처럼 소개 되는 게 좀 안타깝다.
직접적으로 컴퓨터 작업을 하고 종이를 자르고 이것저것 세부적인 작업은 전부 아래 디자이너들이 했을 게다.
그 분들에게도 박수를!