‘I wanted it to be raw’: Paula Scher explains her squished map logo

Women+ on the Edge of Democracy is an upcoming revue of 10-minute plays and monologues about this moment in democracy, as written by 36 women playwrights. The logo for initiative, designed by Pentagram partner Paula Scher, with associate partner Bruno Bergallo and project manager Olivia Ray, purposely squeezes its title into a tight frame to visualize a point. Scher tells Fast Company that through her cramped, handwritten concept, she wanted to “imply that women are being squeezed out of democracy.” The revue showcases that idea. That’s because all the short plays or monologues are built around two questions: What is the current state of democracy in America from a national and international perspective? And what can history, global context, or futurism offer us in this pivotal moment? [Image: Pentagram] The plays and monologues cover topics like immigration, education, and gun violence, according to a synopsis, and together, they are meant to inspire the audience to question the kind of world they want to live in and then challenge them to go about the business of creating it. Among the plays are “Maya” by Dael Orlandersmith about a custodial worker at a library New York who figh…