Inflatable art and floating logos — if you let go of Monga’s new identity for Sopro, it might fly away

The São Paulo-based arts festival Sopro was initiated with the simple idea to transform public spaces into open air galleries. With plans to facilitate accessible exhibitions of giant inflatable artworks and workshops for the public, the cultural event hopes to offer an experience of art that’s “light, inviting and enchanting”, celebrating the fun and colourful world of pop aesthetics. And who better to have developed a concept for their visual identity than studio Monga?

With floating art at the forefront of the festival’s mission, the team at Monga knew they had to centre their visual approach around Sopro’s giant blow-ups — this was the perfect chance, if any, to make a Jeff Koons-style logo. Bringing in some expertise in 3D design, the studio collaborated with Neurad (aka Luciano Bürger) to render balloon-like typography for the festival’s branding, all to “reflect the lightness and fun of inflatables while maintaining a clean and artistic aesthetic”, says Mateus Yuzo, co-founder of Monga.

For Monga, the balance between “approachable and sophisticated” became quite important for the letterforms — the studio were keen to convey Sopro’s modern angle on contemporary art, whilst getting across the fun, friendly and democratic nature of the festival. As Sopro facilitates outdoor viewing of artworks free for anyone to engage with, the identity needed to be big, bold and eye-catching, but in no way exclusive. So, the studio went for a type choice inspired by the festival’s “playful and modern character”, says Michel Refatti, Monga’s co-founder. “The design strikes a balance between being approachable and sophisticated, complementing the festival’s concept of art that’s accessible for everyone.”

Outside of the inflatable theme, the studio had the whole world of pop art to lean into across applications. “Our creative process involved studies of volume, colour, and materials to convey the idea of pop art that is simple and accessible,” says Mateus. “The result is an identity that connects directly with the urban space, providing a unique and inclusive cultural experience.” Monga cleverly extended the branding to become part of the city in large installations combining pop formats with the everyday. “This combination makes Sopro a unique project that really redefines the use and possibilities of public space and the concept of a gallery all together,” says Michel.