Human Stories: Sacrifice Decoded is a research project led by Dr. Diana Moreiras Reynaga at UBC. The project combines decolonial and scientific perspectives to reconstruct the lives of those who were sacrificed in the Mexica and Tarascan empires,
and bring the voices of those who were often erased from the historical record into the present.
Human sacrifice is a topic that is often sensationalized, so I knew creating a logo and branding for this project needed to be handled delicately. I worked with Diana to understand how she wanted people to view her research, and we came up with the following criteria:
1. The branding should focus on the personal, lived stories of those who were sacrificed.
2. It should be visually identifiable as an academic project working through a decolonial lens.
3. It should feel modern and instill a sense of cultural pride.
Logo Imagery
Mexica art has an incredible flat, graphic style with strong shapes that made great inspiration for a logo. I especially loved the noses - such a regal and distinct profile!
Since this project focuses on often silenced voices, we decided that the logo should feature a woman wearing a neaxtlahualli hairstyle - a style worn by common Nahua women in the empire.
One of the primary novel research methods the project will be using is carbon isotope analysis, so I included an atom in the logo to represent the scientific methods in the project.
Colour Palette
The colour palette takes inspiration from traditional pigments found in Mexica art and the bright blue sky and red brickwork of Templo Mayor - one of the sites the researchers are studying.
