Whitman Emorson honour the cultural impact and essence of Ballroom in their identity for FUNCTION

Historically synonymous with New York, Ballroom is a culture, community, and queer Black art form that emerged in the city in the 1960s. Ball culture (and Houses) have served as a haven of expression and self-love for the 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC citizens, and have expanded outside the US to include chapters in cities like Paris, London, and Tokyo. Located in Toronto, FUNCTION is doing their part to uplift BIPOC, queer, and marginalised voices in Canada. In doing so, they are highlighting Canadian Ballroom talent and pushing the boundaries of the country’s Ballroom scene. Working with the platform and event organiser to create an identity for them, Toronto-based design studio Whitman Emorson strived to understand not only the essence of FUNCTION, but that of Ballroom itself. The resulting visual system gives the FUNCTION team the tools and assets to bring their platform to life in a truly authentic way across all collaterals. From events to marketing, and from the stage to the street – balancing angular geometric forms with fluid curves and Kirk Lisaj’s captivating photography, the result is powerful, impactful and mesmerising in equal measure.