An Exhibition Rooted in Resistance
We Will Not Be Dragooned was an art exhibition held at Metal, Chalkwell Hall, Southend-on-Sea in 2024. I was commissioned to create the visual identity for the exhibition, designing posters, flyers, and social media assets. The exhibition title itself, with its strange and ancient word dragooned, became the foundation for the visual approach.
Mixing Handmade and Digital Techniques
Inspired by the exhibition’s themes, I began with a blackletter typeface, reminiscent of medieval manuscripts and early printed texts. I then physically printed and manipulated the typography—distressing the text using water and paint. The process allowed chance to dictate the final aesthetic. The most compelling results were scanned back into the digital workspace, where they were refined into the final compositions.
The final identity strikes a balance between tactile, organic textures and digital refinement, that aimed to capture the energy of the exhibition.