The Szymanowski Competition has a new visual identity built around forms that shine through one another and a logo inspired by the composer’s signature. The project was developed by we3studio: Marta Podogrocka devised the creative concept and the main graphic motif, while Damian Ziółkowski designed the logo.
The starting point was Worlds Shining Through, the Competition’s new narrative developed by Samuel Nowak and Joanna Kudyba-Antonik. It tells the story of the interweaving of Szymanowski’s worlds – from Wagner and Strauss, through Sicily and the Orient, to the folk traditions of the Podhale region – and also embraces contemporary interpretations of his music.
‘What fascinated me most was that nothing in this music exists in isolation. Different layers come together to create something entirely new. I wanted the visual identity to work in a similar way – rather than revealing everything at once, it would allow successive fragments to be discovered’, says Marta Podogrocka.
The designers also drew inspiration from gentle musical phrases, dense harmonies and ornamentation. In Podogrocka’s design, translucent forms are layered over one another, allowing light to pass through and revealing successive fragments of the image. Rearranging them makes it possible to create compositions of varying density and colour saturation. They resemble a kaleidoscope in which the same elements form ever-changing combinations of colours and shapes.
Szymanowski’s handwritten signature was Damian Ziółkowski’s starting point for designing the logo. ‘I wanted to preserve its character while giving it a contemporary form that would become a natural part of the overall visual identity’, explains the designer.
The arrangements of forms and colours can be adapted for posters, the website or social media graphics, while retaining the same logo and graphic motifs. The system also allows the visual identity to evolve with future editions of the Competition.
