Southbank Centre

Yoko Ono’s Meltdown

Campaign and publication design responding to the curator’s visual language within an established identity framework

Arts festival campaign | Editorial design

Developed while working in-house at Southbank Centre

Black and white photo of Yoko Ono wearing glasses, with text reading 'Yoko Ono's Meltdown' in red and black.
Black and white photo of Yoko Ono wearing glasses, with text reading 'Yoko Ono's Meltdown' in red and black.

The campaign design and souvenir publication for Southbank Centre's Meltdown festival were developed in response to the curatorial direction of Yoko Ono, translating a highly conceptual artistic language into a clear, engaging public-facing campaign across London.

A large poster on a stone wall advertising Yoko Ono's Meltdown event from June 14 to 23, 2013, with a black and white image of a woman, surrounded by yellow wooden structures and a clear blue sky.
A large poster on a stone wall advertising Yoko Ono's Meltdown event from June 14 to 23, 2013, with a black and white image of a woman, surrounded by yellow wooden structures and a clear blue sky.
Billboard advertising Yoko Ono's Meltdown music festival from June 14 to 23, 2013, featuring a black and white photo of Yoko Ono wearing sunglasses. The billboard lists artists and event details with a predominantly white background and red accents.
Poster for Yokono's Meltdown music event, June 14-23, 2013, at Southbank Centre, featuring performances by various bands and artists.
Sign with the handwritten message "I wish we were free" on the left, and a faint, reversed, and smudged version of the same message on the right.
Four small trees in large gray pots with white papers attached to the branches, placed along a brick wall outside.
Four small trees in large gray pots with white papers attached to the branches, placed along a brick wall outside.

The publication took its structure from Yoko Ono's wish trees. Musicians and artists participating in the festival sent in wishes, some as scans, others as plain text in emails.

Black and white side-by-side portrait photograph of a young person with short, messy hair wearing large sunglasses.
Black and white side-by-side portrait photograph of a young person with short, messy hair wearing large sunglasses.
Open magazines on a black surface, featuring red and white pages with text, images, and handwritten notes.

Expressive typography gave the emailed wishes emotional resonance. The finished souvenir booklet let people take a piece of the wish tree home with them.

The result is a cohesive campaign that holds the curator's voice and the institution's brand together across print and promotional formats, at street scale and in the hand.

Open book with the words "NO NUKES MORE TREES" printed in bold on white pages.
Close-up of a person's face wearing sunglasses, with embossed text that reads "YOKO ONO'S MELTDOWN" on a light background.
Close-up of a pink paper with printed text, including a quote about giving and a person's name and title, Jude Kelly, OBE, Southbank Centre Artistic Director.
Close-up of a white notebook or book with the name 'IGGY POP' printed in red on the bottom corner.
A handwritten message that reads, "I wish I had an awesome roller coaster in my backyard," with the words "roller coaster" written in a circular shape.

Related Work

Art Fund

SOAS

Victoria & Albert Museum