Hi Anthem Awards judges, this is the case for Moresites Editions

When exhibitions and galleries were closed in Lockdown 2020, we at DEPT® sent out a call for proposals to open up digital alternatives. The Swiss artist Manuel Burgener responded. Et voilà – Moresites Editions.

Dynamic Project Development

From the very beginning, conceptual and design and formal processes ran parallel. The initiator Manuel Burgener took the role of curator, DEPT® took care of design and development. Everything is based on the basic idea: A non-profit platform, run by artists, for limited editions produced exclusively for Morsites Editions.

From Content to Design

The principle of repetition — editions produced for morsites.ch — is reflected in the design of the website. In the information area, the titles of the editions are repeated as often as number of pieces offered. The typographical navigation elements are repeated as well to visually illustrate this principle. The startpage shows previews of the editions, all consistently colored in blue.

Back to the Internets Roots

Rather than speaking the different visual languages of different artists with a multitude of colours and shapes, we clearly state: This is us, Moresites Editions. Neutral yet independent. The blue that shapes the identity is the colour used for marking links since the origins of the Internet. As per usual, the colour changes to purple when a link has already been visited. The same basic design attitude also informed our choice of a typeface: Times, which — as it always has been — is available on every computer as a system font.

Design in the Browser

The design approach was a result of the tight deadline and budget constraints. From the start the design process took place directly in the browser. The focus always was on content and the final goal, but also on reaching said goal without any unnecessary detours. Already at the beginning of June, three weeks after the initial idea, a new platform, Moresites Editions was live.

How the Platform Works

The project, supported by Pro Helvetia and the Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation, is a platform for a network of artists that grows over time. It’s a deliberate mix of established names with young unknown artists who are still at the very beginning of their careers. The editions are offered at lower prices than usual in classical channels. Most of the offers from the initial phase of the project are sold out, new ones appear on a regular basis. Those who have sold their edition, propose the next artist. The self-managed platform brings artists and buyers together. Without intermediate trade.