A Stitt in Time was a digital exhibition showcasing the many works of Alexander Stitt, hosted by RMIT University in Melbourne Australia. This exhibition focused on the ‘fun in learning’ motif that ran through many of Stitt’s life’s work. Stitt’s broad mix of abilities – ranging from design, animation to storytelling – gave his work a unique timbre that would draw in his audiences. This exhibition also served as a revival of “Life. Be in it.”, and focused on encouraging an active lifestyle for everyone in voluntary or compulsory physical isolation, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phase 1 – Discover & Define
Establishing Our Sandbox
After conducting an audit, we determined the main themes of Stitt’s work were:
‘Fun in learning’, vibrant, light-hearted, humorous, informative and casual.
Core Problem: Engaging Two Generations Of Audiences, While Balancing Multiple Art Styles
Audience data was summarised into two personas: Nostalgic GenX and Artsy Millennials. Nostalgic GenX is defined by their enjoyment of nostalgia and desire to share moments with their family and friends. The Artsy Millennials live and breath art and culture, interested in new exhibitions and open to learn about the world's creative past. It was clear there was a lot of potential to attract and bring joy to both of these groups of people. The challenge became creating a unique identity that wouldn’t overshadow the artworks and their individuals stories, while connecting with two different audiences.
Phase 2 – Strategize & Develop
Turning Data into Experiences
Core Idea: 'Retro In Motion'
The visual strategy focused on creating an fun, inclusive and interactive visitor experience – reflecting Stitt's work and audience expectations – using a 90's retro style to elicit a sense of nostalgia from an audience that is familiar with Stitt’s work from. Retro would also appeal to audiences new to Stitt’s work.
The visual identity borrowed predominantly from Stitt’s “Life. Be in it.” campaign, influencing the logo's design, choice of colours, typography and illustrations. The experience was to be as joyful as Stitt’s body of work and showcase the values that he championed through each stage of his work with a light-hearted, bright and colourful experience.
Phase 3 – Deliver & Evaluate
A Fun & Interactive Experience
A fun identity that stood on its own and enhanced Stitt’s life’s work, consistently applied across all touchpoints. The audience was sent back to the 1970s and greeted with the playfulness and fun-loving nature that Stitt embodied in all his work.
