100 Days is an annual project at New York City’s School of Visual Arts that was founded by Michael Bierut. Each year, the students of the school’s Master’s in Branding Program spend 100 days documenting their process with a chosen creative endeavor. This year, we’re showcasing each student in the program by providing a peek into ten days of their project. You can keep an eye on everyone’s work on our SVA 100 Days page.
Art is a reflection of our society, and so are brands. When you combine the two, you bring about narratives of how brands mold and shape cultures, behaviors, and our environment. “Museum of Modern Brands” transforms historically and culturally rooted artworks by incorporating branded objects, reshaping their narratives and offering a fresh perspective in contemporary society.
Astha is a Brand and Creative Strategist from New York City who finds power in connecting stories of two different worlds. Follow Astha’s 100-day project @museumoofmodernbrands on Instagram, and reach out to her at www.asthaavinash.com to learn more about her work.
Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix
The recent controversies spurring backlash on Anheuser-Busch products makes us think that the fight for liberty in 2023 is just as relevant.
East River Park by William Glackens
This painting by William Glackens was to show the open skies that New Yorkers enjoy in the parks after living in tight, congested spaces. Citibike, for many, feels the same: liberating, independent, and meditative.
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali depicts the dreamlike state of the unconscious, where time may pass, but we are left behind with the memories. Chanel No. 5 is a scent that is meant to evoke memories and emotions, and distorts the kitsch fragrance landscape, and ever since has become a cultural touchstone. Both timeless.
Three Girls by Amrita Sher Gil
The painting by Amrita Sher Gil shows three colorfully dressed women contemplating a destiny they are unable to change. This take makes us think, can Coca Cola refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism, and open happiness when put in context of such harsh realities?
Potato Eaters by Vincent Van Gogh
Van Gogh famously said that these farmers tilled the potatoes with the same hands and hence have earned it— showing us the reality of country life. Heinz Ketchup is made only from sweet, juicy red ripe tomatoes, also reaped from the same hands, making for the perfect condiment.
The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch
Bosch’s central panel offers a timeless critique of sinful allure. Its fantastical imagery of excess and indulgence serves as a cautionary reminder of the pitfalls and emptiness that lie within materialistic pursuits that are now fulfilled by— The Amazon of Earthly Delights.
The Absinthe Drinker by Edgar Degas
Then and now sees new forms of escapism. Two polar realities, but many shared parallels. Bans, addiction, popularity, and threat — a thread that unites it all.
The Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
Edward Hopper was recently applauded as the artist who predicted the challenges of society in the post-pandemic world. Nighthawks, one of his iconic works, depicts the loneliness of bigger cities like NYC. This take makes us wonder how Grubhub has isolated society further.
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli is an embodiment of beauty and grace. A shell was also a representative of birth and fertility in renaissance symbolism. Similarly, a symbol of new hope— the birth of Tampax— revolutionized menstrual health care.
The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet
The French painter Jean-François Millet was known to paint peasant farmers, and as someone who could capture the working class as-is, in their honest forms. This makes us question: when the climate crisis comes— which it inevitably will— who will it affect the most, and first?