Tropical

Tropical: Stories of Southeast Asia and Latin America, curated and organised by National Gallery Singapore, was the first large-scale museum exhibition to take a comprehensive approach across two regions united by their shared struggles against colonialism. Over 200 paintings, sculptures, prints and immersive installations were exhibited in the museum from November 2023 to March 2024.

BLACK worked closely with the museum curators, WOHA Architects and SYSTMZ to develop the identity and exhibition graphics for the exhibition. The exhibition featured innovative, modernist display techniques developed by famed Italian-Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi in the 1960s and 1970s, specially adapted by WOHA Architects. These include “crystal easels” that suspends paintings and artworks in the gallery space, grid structures akin to scaffolding with a wood-paneled display system and wooden lattice-like structures that introduce a free-standing approach to exhibition design.

Drawing a parallel between Modernism and the use of Lina Bo Bardi’s exhibition presentation in the curatorial approach, BLACK chose a typeface that can covey its spirit visually for the identity of the exhibition. The typeface Acumin was selected for its rich history that was inspired by various Grotesque typefaces dating back to the 1890s, and its visual connection to the graphic design and architecture magazine Habitat, founded and edited by Lina between 1950 and 1953. Presented in pink, teal, blue and purple, the exhibition was bright and colourful, setting it apart from other exhibitions in the gallery.

In response to the overall free-standing approach to exhibition design, BLACK designed exhibition graphics that were integrated into the exhibition structures. Tombstone labels were incorporated into the “crystal easels” and wood-paneled display system, and a star map-like label system was developed. Upon entering the space, visitors would cast their eyes on the artworks first, then approach these star map-like plinths to learn more about the artworks within its vicinity.