When Saul Bass designed The J. Paul Getty Trust, or Getty, logo in 1997, the museum was a very different creature. Today, the Getty is home to one of the world’s largest art research libraries, a center for conservation science, a funder for hundreds of cultural organizations, and more, according to its website. Fred & Farid New York has created a new logo for the now larger organization.
The new blocky, geometric logo is miles away from that original logo in terms of style, but some aspects are still the same. The square, inspired by the travertine blocks of the Getty’s building, is still there, as is the color blue. But now that square is made from four mosaic-like pieces, drawn from artworks at the Getty Villa. These also represent Getty’s four core programs—the Museum, Foundation, Conservation Institute, and Research Institute.
From the Getty website: “…the flexibility of the ‘G’ allows a wide range of imagery—from collection objects to archival materials, architectural details and contemporary visuals—to become a part of the design. The ‘G’ can be blown up, rearranged and reinterpreted, unlocking endless iterations that reflect the open access to art that Getty offers its audiences.”
