Monga Design, a two-person studio based in Brazil, is credited with the brilliantly eccentric visual identity of Sopro, an annual outdoor art festival held in Portugal. The festival showcases an eclectic collection of works from a variety of talented artists and curators, including many captivating inflatable installations.
Renowned for its accessibility and openness, the Sopro Art Festival is grounded in values of inclusivity and shared experience, offering free attendance for all—a spirit that the visual identity aims to bring to life. The festival’s modern and distinctive artworks are a defining feature, captured through thoughtful visual composition, innovative design, and dynamic motion, all essential elements of the visual language.
The visual identity itself strongly projected the striking modern qualities of inflatable artworks, incorporating dynamic text movements and animations that replicated the motion of inflatable materials. Both the posters and the festival radiated clear-cut contemporary undertones, whilst the motion designed by Monga encompassed the lively nature of the festival’s content. Artistic compositions explore playful dimensional aspects of text and shapes whilst balloon-like images intersect and overlap with simple, bold text and headlines, adding an energetic layer to the poster. Finally, a distinctive bounce is incorporated into the text animations, aligning closely with the essence of the content the identity is portraying.
The tactical placement of the inflatable imagery creates a 3D effect in some of the posters, making the air-filled shapes appear as though they could emerge from the page. A juxtaposition is established between the fluidity of the balloon imagery and the sharp modern font, creating a harmonious balance between the fixed and the flowing whilst a striking contrast between the bold, solid line design and the intricate details of the inflatable material further heightens the differing sensations created by the fixed and moving components of the configuration.
By including multiple typefaces throughout, this strategic decision enhances this contrast by featuring both classical fonts and more rounded, circular designs. Franklin Gothic URW Comp is used for main texts whereas Aktiv Grotesk can be seen for the secondaries. Variation in shadow and light further amplifies the visual dynamic of the design. In instances where the inflatable shapes obscure portions of the text, a sense of mid-motion capture is created, accentuating the dynamic quality of these materials.
Addressing the colour palette, the visual identity is anchored in cool shades of black, grey, white and blue. A selection that exudes a sophisticated quality, with the simple choices achieving a cohesive balance between contemporary and innovative elements. Despite limiting the poster design to four key colours, the exploration of various combinations within the palette introduces diversity to the identity, with each poster showcasing a unique pairing. The colour selection affirms a sense of professionalism and clarity, allowing space for the motion dynamics to truly flourish against straightforward backgrounds. By using light blue, grey, and white, the design was able to experiment further with shadows, creating a richer display of detail that was able to boost the illusion of movement in the shapes on the posters. Monga’s creative approach to the project has resulted in an incredibly visually engaging outcome for audiences.
Its success can be attributed to the main collaborators, including the efforts of Luciano Burger, Mateus Yuzo, and Michel Refatti.
You can remain up to date with Monga Design’s future projects via their website here. @mongadesign
