Inspiration, on the road: how MORE Studio’s trip to India led the team to its identity for Curry Cafe

In an industry often clouded by clichés, Melbourne’s Curry Cafe’s rebranding by MORE Studio is a striking lesson in authentic cultural storytelling. Spearheaded by Creative Director Matthew Tambellini, the project emerged from an 18-month sabbatical that evolved into an eclectic visual identity that would define this neighbourhood institution in Northcote and Flemington. “Our process is always intentionally research-based, searching for that thing that no one else is looking at,” explains Tambellini. “Initially, I was exploring shipping boxes, packaging sacks and menu design in Melbourne’s local Indian supermarkets and exploring how to appropriate that, which started to embed itself into the colour and menu designs for the restaurant.” The project took a transformative turn when Tambellini embarked on his travels. Once on the road, Tambellini launched Found Matter, a documentation project capturing ephemera like bus tickets, receipts, and hand-painted signage across India, Mexico, and Guatemala. “The project is referencing these cultures I was absorbing; the non-designed vernaculars, domestic use of colour, bus networks, and found ephemera. It became a playground for recreating found iconography.”