Logos for The Auschwitz Institute

The Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot synagogue is the only surviving synagogue in the town of Oświęcim from before the Second World War. After the end of the war, the liberation of the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp, the nationalization of the building by the communist government during the Cold War, and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, in 1998, the Polish government repatriated the building to its Jewish community. The Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation restored the building to a pre-war condition based on the memories of Holocaust survivors. The building was reopened in 2000, where it continues to serve as an active synagogue and a part of the Auschwitz Jewish Center’s permanent exhibition on the Jewish community in the town of Oświęcim.

In 2001, Auschwitz Jewish Center founder Fred Schwartz asked me to design a logo for the foundation. I created this broken Star of David, forming an “A” and a “J” out of the pieces that are undamaged. 

 

In 2006, Schwartz founded the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, an organization dedicated to training governments in long-term genocide prevention. I volunteered my time to create this logo for the Institute, showing rows of people, different from each other, yet standing together.

 

In 2018, I visited Auschwitz for the first time and saw my logo in the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum’s education center. To this day, I still get goosebumps seeing the image on the grounds where such a tragedy took place.

 

In 2020, the Auschwitz Institute changed its name to the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. It chose this new name to better reflect its mission of endeavoring to prevent any future mass atrocities across the globe. It operates from offices here in New York, where it partners with the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Bucharest, Romania; Kampala, Uganda; and Oświęcim, Poland. I was more than happy to tweak the logo to reflect the new name. 

 

Last week, I received this letter from the Institute. It moved me deeply, so I wanted to share it with you. I am honored that my art may contribute in any way to the critically necessary work of preventing these terrible crimes for generations to come.

 

Delmonico's Opening Bell Ceremony at NYSE

I was pleased to be invited to redesign Delmonico's old wordmark and create its new logo. Delmonico's is recognized as the first fine dining restaurant United States, established in 1837. Among the many well-known patrons of Delmonico's were Theodore Roosevelt, Chester Arthur, Mark Twain, Arthur Sullivan, Lillian Russell, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, J.P. Morgan, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Nikola Tesla, Edward VII, and Napoleon III of France.

 

To celebrate the restaurant's reopening today on August 11th, 2023, The New York Stock Exchange held Delmonico's opening bell ceremony and decorated the front and inside of their building with Delmonico's wordmark and logo.

 

More here.

 

 

WNYC, New York Public Radio: All Of It

'New York City officials this week unveiled the new “We NYC” campaign, complete with a new logo that has received mixed reviews. The slogan riffs on the classic "I NY" image created in 1977 by influential graphic designer Milton Glaser, whose career is the subject of a new book out next week. Milton Glaser: POP explores the designer's work through the 1960s and 1970s, from posters to playbills and album art. Authors Steven Heller, Beth Kleber, and Mirko Ilić join us to discuss and take calls from listeners.'

 

WNYC, New York Public Redio

 

 

My Work Featured in Graphis #373

I am pleased to announce the release of the online version of Graphis Journal #373. This issue of the journal dedicated 18 pages to my work and an interview with me. The printed version of it will soon be available. 

Graphis was founded in 1944 by Walter Herdeg and Dr. Walter Amstutz in Zurich, Switzerland. The magazine was started with the September/October 1944 issue. In 1986, Martin Pedersen purchased the company from Mr. Herdeg and later moved the headquarters to New York City. 

 

News from Sina, China

I am very happy to share with you that today, Sina, one of the largest and
most influential websites in China, published an article about me under the title "World-Class Artist Mirko Ilic Signs With Modern Sky | Tolerance Poster Show Will Be Arriving in Shanghai in 2022".

If you read Chinese, you can read more about it here.

 

 

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Child Superhero Logo

The organization Moje mjesto pod suncem (My Place Under the Sun) originated in Rijeka, Croatia. Their program's primary goal is to provide children below the poverty line with activities that will enable them to grow and develop based on their abilities rather than on the severe social context surrounding them. They offer these kids quality extra-institutional education in the hope that it will boost their self-esteem and self-reflection, and help them realize their full potential.

 

When I was asked to volunteer my services and create a logo for My Place Under the Sun, I decided to create something child friendly, also something empowering, that is why I decide to create this image of child as super hero.

 

Recently, the organization started the fundraising drive. People started to post on their social media, not only the donation telephone number 060 80 20 25 and bank number of the campaign HR 1924020061500087226 where one can donate money, but also they started to draw their own versions of child superhero logo.

 

"My Place Under the Sun" Logo

The organization Moje mjesto pod suncem (My Place Under the Sun) originated in Rijeka, Croatia. Their program's primary goal is to provide children below the poverty line with activities that will enable them to grow and develop based on their abilities rather than on the severe social context surrounding them. They offer these kids quality extra-institutional education in the hope that it will boost their self-esteem and self-reflection, and help them realize their full potential.

When I was asked to volunteer my services and create a logo for My Place Under the Sun, I decided to create something child friendly and also something empowering, thats why I created this recognizable image of child as super hero.

"Bank of Symbols" posters

I recently acquired these 2 posters/catalogues. They were created for the show, Bank of Symbols in 1984 and were designed by Rajka Milović. The show was quite unusual for that time, featuring contemporary Serbian logos from 1960s to early 1980s. On the back of each poster, is a list of credits about the logos on the front. Only 200 copies were printed.

"The Logo Design Idea Book"

I just received  The Logo Design Idea Book - Inspiration from 50 masters by Steven Heller and Gail Anderson in the mail. My Jewish Film Festival logo's are featured in the book.

More of my design for the Jewish Film Festival can be seen here, here, here and here.