Craftsmanship honed over generations, motifs repeated through the ages. Folk art is a universal language of humble beauty that is accessible to everyone. Spread across multiple locations in the old town of Athens, the Museum of Modern Greek Culture is a monument to folk art in all its forms. Its various collections are currently being moved to a new museum under construction in Athens. The sheer volume and variety of the exhibits called for a timeless logotype that could encompass and ‘reveal’ the richness of the museum’s treasures. By highlighting the negative space created by the Greek acronym, MNEΠ, the logotype represents the museum as an extrovert institution: engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the public, beyond the confines of its premises.

The logotype becomes a metaphor for the visitor, wandering through the spaces on a journey of self-discovery through modern Greek culture. The gaps also suggest the ‘pauses’ created by the courtyards and streets connecting the museum’s physical locations, a curated narrative that flows from one theme to another. The abstracted forms of the letters depict the transition from the classical to the contemporary — a bridge between the material and immaterial values of our cultural heritage. Elements of the logotype are adapted across all applications, becoming a unique language of symbols, a characteristic feature of folk art.