Joy Machine is a contemporary gallery and community space in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood. Founded by the team behind Colossal art magazine, the gallery offers a platform for artists to explore themes of joy as a radical and transformative force.
The logo reflects this spirit with an open typographic frame that invites viewers to pause and engage. The rotational wordmark, set in Marund Corner, balances mechanical precision with playful expression, reflecting the duality of its name. With “Joy” at the top, and “Machine” curving into a smile, there’s a subtle nod to Chicago with the quick read of “JOY” and “CHI.” Its square form offers flexibility across formats, serving as a blank canvas for artwork and motion.
To add to the toolkit, we created a dingbat typeface with whimsical symbols that layer over the logo for special events and workshops. Mimeograph purple—a nod to another “joy machine”—accents the palette.
- Design Direction + Design
- Will Miller
- Design
- Ruth Lin
- Project Management
- Makenzie Beyer
Project link
