Penumbra logo with a beautiful face type on a pink background

Penumbra Center For Racial Healing
Brand Identity

A gentleman in a lime green blazer smelling a white rose
Penumbra wields the emotional, physical, and spiritual power of Black cultural expression to advance racial healing.
A

The Assignment

The Penumbra Center for Racial Healing brand identity reimagining began with the necessary understanding of two large truths: First, the impressive history of Penumbra and its contributions to both the local Rondo community in which it resides, as well as its national contributions to the larger arts community, and second, that the step toward becoming Penumbra Center for Racial Healing required us to listen, empathize and honor the complexities of Black identity in the United States. Listening, learning and working with the wonderful people at Penumbra allowed for the identity to imbue a spirit of care, love and progression.

Four Penumbra posters hanging in the community on a street wall.
A Penumbra poster with the words,
Portrait shot of a girl with red lipstick on.
Sarah and Lou from Penumbra's leadership
A vintage black and white scenic image of houses on a street
A
A
A blanket with a variety of patterns

Two hands with each pointer finger touching at the finger tip

Voice & Tone

Penumbra is a familiar institution in the Black community and as such realizes tone of voice is incredibly important. The way they represent themselves and communicate to their audience, community and the world will always be through a voice that is authentic to who they are as a center for racial healing and to the spirit of the work.

Logotype

The logotype is a mixture of traditionalism (West African pattern) and fluidity of the spirit (emotion and expression). Weaving the notions of past, present and future together, one can see that there is dance in how the letterforms relate to and work with one another — a visual metaphor that lives in the spirit of art, nature and healing.

A black and white image of a kid jumping in water
The letter P on a bright purple background
Three different Penumbra posters next to each other

A bunch of Penumbra theater tickets lined up

Color & Pattern

The Penumbra brand uses colors to exude joy, healing and an optimistic spirit. Purple is the signature brand color, with red being secondary. The color palette is owned and used purposefully and with intention.

 

Alongside the color system, a series of patterns were created utilizing traditional African textile motifs. Re-imagined in the Penumbra color palette, a fresh take is given to these motifs, which can be applied to work to add a splash of color.

Three big pieces of fabric panels hanging in an empty warehouse
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel
A colorful pattern panel