Anatomy of Design

2

Dino Merlin is a famous Bosnian singer; Burek is the title of his CD and also the

name of a traditional Bosnian pie made in a coil (and resembling a few other

familiar objects) and stuffed with meat—a common delicacy. It may seem like a

peculiar theme on which to base the music and graphics of an entire CD, but

when reduced to a fundamental graphic icon, the burek is a hypnotically

mnemonic mark (and in Bosnia, a totally recognizable thing) that, if nothing else,

triggers comfort. Like many of the world’s most effective logos, this design’s

virtue is its stark simplicity that draws on cultural and visual references packed

into one seemingly abstract ...