The branding for the 2022 UEFA Champions League final in St. Petersburg has been revealed, drawing on an abstract art style inspired by Russian artists Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich. The visual captures the vibrant atmosphere around the White Nights festival, which will be celebrated when the final will take place.
The visual includes references to St. Petersburg's iconic bridges, which traverse the Neva river. Also depicted are the Scarlet Sails, famously known as part of the Saint Petersburg White Nights festival. The Bronze Horseman, a monument to the city's founder Peter the Great, and Saint Isaac's Cathedral are also included in the design. The Lakhta Centre, Europe's tallest building which overlooks the Gazprom Arena, completes the design.
The branding was created by renowned local artist Maksim Zhestkov, who used a technique called Suprematism, an art movement focused on basic geometric forms and which was developed by Malevich over a century ago.
"Working on a piece for the UEFA Champions League final was a creative challenge, as it had to capture the revolutionary spirit of St. Petersburg that is hidden behind the classical facade of the city and includes modern landmarks, together with its more recognisable buildings, built centuries ago," Zhestkov explained.
"Together with the creative team, we decided to approach St. Petersburg's architecture with a Suprematist mindset, as this influential art movement is tightly connected with the city that hosted the first ever Suprematist exhibition in 1915. Experimenting with the purest shapes extracted from the city, we were able to create a lively composition full of anticipation and energy to accompany the final."
