A Walking Map of Deptford's Hidden Past.

The Museum of Slavery and Freedom (MōSaF) is a community group based in Deptford, London. Their aim is to create a linked visitor experience with the maritime heritage sector, to highlight the role of Deptford and the Royal Navy in the triangular slave trade and its abolition. And to explain how London and the rest of the United Kingdom grew rich through participation in the slave trade.

In their first public output, MōSaF researched a walking tour of Deptford, highlighting key locations with historical ties to the transatlantic slave trade. They partnered with arts organisation Looking Forwards in the realisation of the project, through which I was approached to devise and design a physical map and guide of Deptford, and the proposed walking tour route.

Services:

Creative direction
Copywriting (main title)
Logo design
Artwork & production

More Than a Footnote in History.

As well as the walking route itself, the map would also incorporate descriptions of each site, and points of historical interest. There would also need to be information about the organisation and its objectives. Since the map would function as both a walking tour guide, and an introduction to the MōSaF organisation, I proposed a cross-folded A5 into A3 leaflet. This would provide room to visualise the walking route/map, but also to craft a narrative to help contextualise the organisation and the project.

During my visual research, which covered a lot of ephemera related to the slave trade in the United Kingdom, I took note of many posters and ads that were typographic in nature. Most of these communications used at least two typefaces if not several, and this idea would inform the concept behind my creative direction for the map.

I set out to use this idea of juxtaposed typefaces, to tell a visual story of Deptford’s link to the slave trade. I then proposed the title and a structure of content. First, with an overview of the project, then a panel expanding on Depford’s history, expanding into the map itself, and then a page about the MōSaF organisation itself.

For the way finding element, rather than a literal map of Deptford we opted for a more illustrative concept I had created. Here, I imagined the type from those old posters and notices, transforming into the streets of Deptford. Using typography as a visual representation of a map.

This concept speaks to legacy and continuation, a link from our present to the past. It is an graphic representation of the area, that pulls Deptford into the story. (I also proposed combining this with a digital version, to ensure participants could explore the route accurately and safely).

The overall document would eventually feature four typefaces in total. Throughout the document, I play with scale and position of type as a graphic device in itself. This suggests the enormity of the story, sometimes too large and overwhelming to fit on the page.

The colour palette is a nod to both historical British monarchy and revolutionary art of the 20th century, designed to feel both vintage and contemporary.

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Sign of The Times.

I set out to create a visual shorthand, that could represent the themes within the communication, but also act as branding to tie the various forms of outreach together.

The map logo is a combination of two symbols: The international currency symbol (‘¤’), and a stylised graphic representation of the Deptford anchor – an iconic local landmark. This thematically and visually connects Deptford, to the reality of the slave trade – to ideas of commodity, exploitation, and capitalism.