Each year, a comprehensive visual identity is designed for unilateral use across the archipelago in commemoration of the anniversary of Indonesia’s independence. This year sees the nation step into its 8th decade as an independent country and it is our great honor that the 80th Indonesian Independence Day logo designed by Thinking*Room’s very own Bram Patria Yoshugi was successfully chosen for this year’s celebrations across the nation in the open call competition organized by the Association of Indonesian Graphic Designers (ADGI), Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF), and the Ministry of State Secretariat (Mensetneg). The proposed visual identity needed to translate this year’s designated Independence Day theme of Bersatu Berdaulat, Rakyat Sejahtera, Indonesia Maju, or “United Sovereignty, Prosperous Peoples, A Progressive Indonesia” in English. This theme was extrapolated into the principle of Dimiliki Bersama, Dirayakan Bersama (Belonging to All, Celebrated by All) as we looked into the theme’s actualization at both the macro (governmental) and micro (everyday people) scale; studying how these visuals come to life across the nation in the daily lives of her citizens. 

Typically, the HUT RI visual identity includes a supergraphic element alongside the logo to be implemented in accordance with the accompanying comprehensive brand guideline. As seen in previous HUT RI visual identities, the supergraphic is there as a supplementary element to build a holistic implementable visual identity. It may then come as a surprise to many that this year’s identity features no supergraphics, with some going as far as speculating that we didn’t have enough time to develop a supergraphic element. Make no mistake, the decision to exclude a supergraphic element was a conscious choice. Instead, the logo was designed to serve a dual purpose: to be used as the primary logo as well as the supergraphic element. The logo is the supergraphic. 

Bram observed a gap between the implementation of the visual identity by larger entities, like businesses and government bodies, and that done by everyday people in their neighborhoods and communities. The addition of a supergraphic element helped tie together the Independence Day identity implementation by these larger entities, but further widened that gap in implementation quality. In the spirit of Dimiliki Bersama, Dirayakan Bersama and its participatory nature, the 80th Independence Day visual identity was designed to compensate for this gap, where larger entities may have the resources and real estate to implement these supergraphic elements, the application of said elements in addition to the primary logo in everyday environments; small alleys, community centers, neighborhood gateways, rarely maximize the visual potential of the supergraphic.

One interesting interpretation posits that this identity was designed with the thought that “even a sleepy old man could implement this well.” 

That initial dilemma led us to question whether implementing a supergraphic element is the only “valid” approach in creating a complete visual identity. At what point does the inclusion of a supergraphic element become superfluous rather than helpful? A supergraphic, by definition, is a large-scale visual element to be applied on buildings, walls, and other large surfaces. Originating in the mid-1960s, supergraphic elements act as a supporting visual element that builds up and upon the primary logo to create a more immersive spatial experience and wholesome implementation of the visual identity. Supergraphics splashed onto the scene in a big way with San Francisco-based artist Barbara “Bobbie” Stauffacher Solomon’s work for The Sea Ranch in California, USA. Her use of supergraphics opened up the possibilities for how a visual identity can fill up and transform a space without relying solely on the logo and becoming repetitive. So it seemed like supergraphics were here to stay, but the use of supergraphic elements actually fell out of favor and only experienced a resurgence in the 2000s. Similarly, the inclusion of a supergraphic element in the Indonesian Independence Day visual identity only began in 2018, with the 73rd Indonesian Independence Day visual identity, featuring forms that were derived from the primary anniversary logo. This became the assumed standard set by precedent with the subsequent Indonesian Independence Day visual identities following suit. 

If we look back prior to the prevalence of supergraphic elements, logos bearing the brunt of the visual responsibility was the norm. Evidently, many of our national symbols before the ubiquity of supergraphics are almost dripping in symbolism. The Garuda Pancasila, for example, is loaded with visual symbolism; of the five tenets on the central crest, of the very date of our independence in its feathers. Its “revered” message and elaborate construction set the tone for an almost sanctification of national symbols and remains one of the most recognizable emblems across the country. This symbol, in all its elaborate complexity, served as the only visual touchpoint representing the values and hopes for a nation newly born. This sanctified and weighty approach is also evident in the Independence Day logos prior to 2018, with multiple Indonesian national flags adorning the emblem, prioritizing patriotic symbolism over an emphasis on sleek presentation.  

Our approach to the Indonesian Independence Day logo aimed to break away from both precedents, to present something different, and to find an answer to our question; is it possible to return to this sole reliance on logos beyond the consecrated responsibility of a symbol? Can a visual identity to be applied at a national scale work effectively without a supporting supergraphic element and without symbolic sanctification? While one of the driving forces behind the logo’s design was the way everyday citizens put their twist on how to bring the logo to life in a way that reflects their passions, their skills, their sentiments and interpretations on the state of the nation, it is also Bram putting this very question to the test in the most practical sense. Presenting a simple graphic vehicle where the hopes and dreams for the nation are implied in its implementation rather than its form. This is not to say that we believe that prior approaches to the Independence Day visual identity were wrong, necessarily. The introduction of a supergraphic element in the 73rd Independence Day identity posed new possibilities for the Independence Day visual identity, relieving the logo from being such a weighty, sanctified symbol. What we wanted to see, and put to practice, was if it was possible to design an unsanctified graphic element that remained weightless without the assistance of a supergraphic.  

Can a visual identity to be applied at a national scale work effectively without a supporting supergraphic element and without symbolic sanctification?

The 80th Indonesian Independence Day visual identity’s absence of an additional supergraphic element allows an anniversary logo to shine to its maximum potential—a visual element that takes up space and pushes us to make the most of its form, thereby fulfilling any supergraphic needs. It was designed with the realization that the inclusion of a supergraphic element became the norm rather than being a mandatory facet of the Indonesian Independence Day visual identity from the get-go. As such, designers should be free to include or exclude a supergraphic element depending on how effective its inclusion is to the overall identity. This is not to say that we feel the inclusion of a supergraphic element in the Indonesian Independence Day visual identity so far has been excessive or redundant. We simply question whether or not it was possible and effective to approach this identity with the primary logo also serving as the supergraphic, to stray away from an assumed “codified standard” and look at the brief from an entirely fresh lens. We put the theory to the test and saw the results bear fruit. Following our take on this year’s Independence Day visual identity, we hope that the designers of the consequent Independence Day visual identities are encouraged to explore different approaches to this national identity.