On the screen of Ines Gutierrez, the head of our shop and digital marketing at the Museum Reinhard Ernst, appears a mesmerizing illustration. Dynamic, flowing lines outline gray and yellow areas, forming a portrait of the museum architecture. This unique drawing was created as the signature motif for the ‘made by mre’ collection, uniting the museum as both an art institution and an architectural gem.
At the Museum Reinhard Ernst, art is everywhere. It is displayed in the galleries, integrated into the building, and reflected in the carefully curated collections within the museum shop. When developing the ‘made by mre’ range, the shop manager faced the question:
Which illustration should define the product line?
In January 2022, during the development of the shop products, I presented Reinhard Ernst with a selection of illustrators whose styles I thought would be well-suited for the ‘made by mre’ collection. We both were particularly impressed by the works of Wiesbaden-based artist Birgit Breuninger.
So, I reached out to her and commissioned her to create a portrait of the building. It was a bit of a challenge, as the construction fence was still up in front of the building, and the façade was not yet fully covered.
I intentionally refer to it as a ‘portrait’ because the goal was not an accurate depiction of the building, but rather to capture the esprit and dynamism of the place. For this task, we found Breuninger’s energetic and flowing line drawings particularly suitable.
Was the choice of accent colours decided in advance? What led to the decision to use a sunny yellow?
Ms Breuninger’s initial draft consisted of black outlines. This is what it initially looked like.
Ines Gutierrez opens another file on her laptop, showing an earlier version of the final graphic:
Together with Reinhard Ernst, we decided to enhance the illustration with coloured accents. We felt that this yellow is a warm, joyful hue and connects us with the city of Wiesbaden and its lily emblem.
After selecting the illustration, product development followed. What unique features do the items of the range have thanks to the Breuninger design?
For the production of the individual items, we chose manufacturers who could implement the illustration on high-quality products, mostly made in Europe. We paid particular attention to small, playful details: the magnet has a pleasant tactile quality thanks to the subtle relief, the coasters fit together like a puzzle, the mre logo is hidden inside the bags, the travel towels are double-sided and can be used according to your mood, and on the linen bag and notebook, the illustration extends across both sides.
Do you have a favourite product from the collection?
That’s a tough one, as I find all the items in this collection unique, and they aren’t available in other museum shops. I am particularly fond of the linen bag and the travel towel.
(Turn sound on 🔊)
Thank you, Ines Gutierrez, for the insights into your work and the development of this extraordinary collection. By purchasing a ‘made by mre’ product, museum visitors can now take home an exclusive piece of the mre flair.
