[IMG MGMT] Squiggles, Trees, Ribbons and Spirals: My Collection of Women’s Health, Beauty and Support Group Logos as the Stages of Life in Semi-Particular Order

by Shana Moulton on September 21, 2010 · 137 comments






Editors’ Note: IMG MGMT is a series of image based essays produced by artists. This week’s invited artist is Shana Moulton. Born in Oakhurst, CA, Moultan is a Brooklyn-based video and performance artist. She studied at UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, and De Ateliers in Amsterdam. Moutlon has performed at The Kitchen, Performa 09, and Electronic Arts Intermix and her work has been exhibited at Art in General and the Migros Museum in Zurich.

Tagged as: Logos, Shana Moulton, The Goddess, Women's Health and Beauty

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  • Michael Manning

    This pure brilliance. Excellent post.

  • Michael Manning

    This pure brilliance. Excellent post.

  • Michael Manning

    This pure brilliance. Excellent post.

  • http://hypothete.com Hypothete

    Yes, yes, 1000 times yes! My favorite is the women’s profiles evolving into Nebraska. Great essay.

  • http://hypothete.com Hypothete

    Yes, yes, 1000 times yes! My favorite is the women’s profiles evolving into Nebraska. Great essay.

  • http://neditpasmoncoeur.blogspot.com Leah Sandals

    Awesome! I feel like this is an art-crit piece that reaches out to the new daily-chewable-chocolate-flavoured-vitamin-d consumer in me. And I mean that seriously.

  • http://neditpasmoncoeur.blogspot.com Leah Sandals

    Awesome! I feel like this is an art-crit piece that reaches out to the new daily-chewable-chocolate-flavoured-vitamin-d consumer in me. And I mean that seriously.

  • http://neditpasmoncoeur.blogspot.com Leah Sandals

    Awesome! I feel like this is an art-crit piece that reaches out to the new daily-chewable-chocolate-flavoured-vitamin-d consumer in me. And I mean that seriously.

  • stephd

    amazing!

  • stephd

    amazing!

  • stephd

    amazing!

  • http://benjaminbruneau.com Benjamin Bruneau

    This is almost painful to experience… so enlightening, but it makes me cringe. Really, incredible.

  • http://benjaminbruneau.com Benjamin Bruneau

    This is almost painful to experience… so enlightening, but it makes me cringe. Really, incredible.

  • http://www.digitalmediatree.com/sallymckay/ sally

    This is chilling. I feel horror and dread. Great collection!

  • http://www.digitalmediatree.com/sallymckay/ sally

    This is chilling. I feel horror and dread. Great collection!

  • http://www.digitalmediatree.com/sallymckay/ sally

    This is chilling. I feel horror and dread. Great collection!

  • ola

    wonderful, shana!!!!!!! <3

  • ola

    wonderful, shana!!!!!!! <3

  • http://www.jeremybailey.net jeremy bailey

    this makes my face smile

  • http://www.jeremybailey.net jeremy bailey

    this makes my face smile

  • http://littletinyfish.com Little Tiny Fish

    So tell me…are women body conscious?

    • ward

      yes

  • http://littletinyfish.com Little Tiny Fish

    So tell me…are women body conscious?

    • ward

      yes

  • Paul

    Wow a good 25% + of those look like vaginas.

    • http://iamoffendedbecause.blogspot.com Ally

      ROFLCOPTER! Because that is totes what this is about right?

    • http://iamoffendedbecause.blogspot.com Ally

      ROFLCOPTER! Because that is totes what this is about right?

  • Paul

    Wow a good 25% + of those look like vaginas.

    • http://iamoffendedbecause.blogspot.com Ally

      ROFLCOPTER! Because that is totes what this is about right?

  • amandalbs

    curious if there are any examples that fit within these motifs that actually are designed well or are appropriate to their organization’s stated goals.

    • incandescere

      Thank you. Some of these are actually truly fitting for their organizations and are well designed. If anything, this collection just implicates a lack of originality found in web design overall. M’eh.

    • incandescere

      Thank you. Some of these are actually truly fitting for their organizations and are well designed. If anything, this collection just implicates a lack of originality found in web design overall. M’eh.

  • amandalbs

    curious if there are any examples that fit within these motifs that actually are designed well or are appropriate to their organization’s stated goals.

  • amandalbs

    curious if there are any examples that fit within these motifs that actually are designed well or are appropriate to their organization’s stated goals.

  • amandalbs

    curious if there are any examples that fit within these motifs that actually are designed well or are appropriate to their organization’s stated goals.

    • incandescere

      Thank you. Some of these are actually truly fitting for their organizations and are well designed. If anything, this collection just implicates a lack of originality found in web design overall. M’eh.

  • http://www.rocketslide.com AnnWithNoE

    Wow, women sure do like to dance. And hold their arms up over their heads.

  • http://www.rocketslide.com AnnWithNoE

    Wow, women sure do like to dance. And hold their arms up over their heads.

  • http://a2alien.com AA

    I would love to see a follow up depicting “good” logos or marks depicting women. What would the author (and/or commenters) like to see as an inclusive image that symbolizes women? What would this community design without the use of swooshes?

    Very interesting image essay. It definitely gives the designers something to think about.. and a reminder to stretch themselves.

  • http://a2alien.com AA

    I would love to see a follow up depicting “good” logos or marks depicting women. What would the author (and/or commenters) like to see as an inclusive image that symbolizes women? What would this community design without the use of swooshes?

    Very interesting image essay. It definitely gives the designers something to think about.. and a reminder to stretch themselves.

  • http://a2alien.com AA

    I would love to see a follow up depicting “good” logos or marks depicting women. What would the author (and/or commenters) like to see as an inclusive image that symbolizes women? What would this community design without the use of swooshes?

    Very interesting image essay. It definitely gives the designers something to think about.. and a reminder to stretch themselves.

    • http://poeticine.blogspot.com/ Tobiah

      All these images remind me of stretching.

    • http://poeticine.blogspot.com/ Tobiah

      All these images remind me of stretching.

    • http://poeticine.blogspot.com/ Tobiah

      All these images remind me of stretching.

    • http://poeticine.blogspot.com/ Tobiah

      All these images remind me of stretching.

    • http://twitter.com/laguiri laguiri

      The problem is not that the logos are bad or not inclusive. the problem is the lack of originality.

  • http://a2alien.com AA

    I would love to see a follow up depicting “good” logos or marks depicting women. What would the author (and/or commenters) like to see as an inclusive image that symbolizes women? What would this community design without the use of swooshes?

    Very interesting image essay. It definitely gives the designers something to think about.. and a reminder to stretch themselves.

    • http://poeticine.blogspot.com/ Tobiah

      All these images remind me of stretching.

  • Mike

    I’d like to see where Wymen’s Ware (Vancouver toy store) fits in here!

  • Mike

    I’d like to see where Wymen’s Ware (Vancouver toy store) fits in here!

  • Mike

    I’d like to see where Wymen’s Ware (Vancouver toy store) fits in here!

  • Mike

    I’d like to see where Wymen’s Ware (Vancouver toy store) fits in here!

  • Mike

    I’d like to see where Wymen’s Ware (Vancouver toy store) fits in here!

  • http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com Wayfaring Wanderer

    How that heck hasn’t anyone noticed this before?! haha Definitely eye-opening!

    ~WW

  • http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com Wayfaring Wanderer

    How that heck hasn’t anyone noticed this before?! haha Definitely eye-opening!

    ~WW

  • 84chicseashells

    How about we just stop using clipart and use real design for logos?

    • AS

      Haha – wouldn’t that be an amazing world?

    • AS

      Haha – wouldn’t that be an amazing world?

    • AS

      Haha – wouldn’t that be an amazing world?

  • 84chicseashells

    How about we just stop using clipart and use real design for logos?

    • AS

      Haha – wouldn’t that be an amazing world?

  • GJane

    Well it’s soooo easy to knock on logos you like. Saying crap is so easy out these days. If you think u are geniuses, then suggest a better way.

    Just out of curiosity…what would you define as a successful logo for women?
    I dare you to post them!

  • GJane

    Well it’s soooo easy to knock on logos you like. Saying crap is so easy out these days. If you think u are geniuses, then suggest a better way.

    Just out of curiosity…what would you define as a successful logo for women?
    I dare you to post them!

  • Troy

    I fail to see any correlation

  • Troy

    I fail to see any correlation

  • Troy

    I fail to see any correlation

  • Troy

    I fail to see any correlation

  • http://sobsister.com chelsed

    i actually worked as a designer for a women’s org and struggled with this. there really isnt a “hip” way to portray women. the bathroom women icon is patronizing; these abstract squiggles and spirals appeal to an audience of women i havent yet encountered; so i just used the general woman symbol–but even then i feel like it’s TOO gender segregated. the problem is men dont HAVE a gender. men’s football is football. men’s soccer is soccer, etc etc– they dont need distinction. what is the symbol for women NOW?

    • J.B.

      As a general thought about design, the solution is probably to make a logo not to represent “women” but to represent the focus or purpose of the organization. Not that the design shouldn’t target women or be evocative of feminine qualities, but I think the point here is that these designers think “woman” and stop thinking.

      Honestly, you could probably do a similar post about any number of groups dealing with the same demographic or cause (e.g., students, churches, immigration). Mediocre design isn’t generally about total lack of technical skill but lack of creativity and originality. People go with their first or second idea, which is the same first or second idea everyone has, resulting in a handful of variations. And cash-strapped non-profits are more likely to shop Logo-Mart than hire someone who provides focused branding services.

      Also, one of these is the Tempur-Pedic logo, so there’s that.

      • Melocoton

        “the point here is that these designers think “woman” and stop thinking.”

        Agreed. Which is why these dancing positivity squiggles strike me as so patronizing. In their way, more patronizing than the bathroom symbol because at least the bathroom lady isn’t pretending.

    • http://ladiesofapartment3g.blogspot.com Maggie

      Agreed, it can be a tough nut to crack to create a women’s logo without using pastels and soft lines. I haven’t worked for a women’s organization, but I do wonder, even if you have a designer that thinks outside the box, how many women’s organizations will go for an outside-the-box design? The pink and the swooshes may not scream “high design,” but there is a strong brand here. You wouldn’t look at any of these logos and think “is this a logo for a women’s organization or a corporate technology start-up/federal institution/higher education facility?”

      But just typing that make me think that the problem is that the ideas of “women’s org” and, say, “higher education” are mutually exclusive… unless you put a little cap and gown on a swooshy lady, I guess.

      It’s a conundrum!

    • http://ladiesofapartment3g.blogspot.com Maggie

      Agreed, it can be a tough nut to crack to create a women’s logo without using pastels and soft lines. I haven’t worked for a women’s organization, but I do wonder, even if you have a designer that thinks outside the box, how many women’s organizations will go for an outside-the-box design? The pink and the swooshes may not scream “high design,” but there is a strong brand here. You wouldn’t look at any of these logos and think “is this a logo for a women’s organization or a corporate technology start-up/federal institution/higher education facility?”

      But just typing that make me think that the problem is that the ideas of “women’s org” and, say, “higher education” are mutually exclusive… unless you put a little cap and gown on a swooshy lady, I guess.

      It’s a conundrum!

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