Leo Tolstoy said that “Art’s purpose is the transmission of the best feelings to which men have risen.” Art comes in many forms, and creativity is expressed using limitless mediums—from packaging and virtual experiences to visual art, writing, and protest art. Be inspired.
1. Art Is Transformative: Art provides an outlet and documentation of the times we live in. Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowsers’ bold statement stenciled on the street. The 1.7-mile fence that was erected around the White House transformed into a gallery for protest signs and art. And the countless humans committed to change used their art to communicate and educate. Art is powerful.
2. The Deep: “Saving humanity, one question at a time” is the tagline. The description is “a playground for curious people” and a “community of true thinkers.” This is one newsletter you won’t be sorry you signed up for.
3. You had me at the packaging. Two beverage industry veterans, Marisa Zupan and Alex Center, saw the potential in giving soda a makeover without all the high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavorings. The better-for-you soft drink, United Sodas of America may have unlocked some beverage whitespace.
“Soda ended up where it is today because it partially lost sight of connecting with culture and people,” Marisa says. “Other products stepped in to capture new healthier opportunities, often making soda the enemy. Soda and its reputation remained unchanged, and the category continued a race-to-the-bottom trend in price, ingredients, and brand. That’s the insight that sparked our idea to reimagine what a soda brand can be today. Rather than make soda the enemy, the opportunity was in changing it from the inside out.”
4. The virtual visit, video-game style. Located in the North Atlantic halfway between Iceland and Norway, the Faroe Islands, with a population of just 50,000 across the archipelago of 18 islands, is welcoming virtual travelers from around the globe. Faroese locals are equipped with live video cameras, allowing virtual visitors not only to see the views from an on-the-spot perspective, but also control where and how they explore, by using their computer or phone keypad to turn, walk, run, and even jump. Just like a real-life computer game.
Guðrið Højgaard, Director of Visit Faroe Islands, says, “When the travel bans began to escalate, we sat and wondered how we could recreate a Faroe Islands’ experience for those who had to cancel or postpone their trip to the Faroe Islands, and for everyone else stuck at home. The result is this new platform that enables those in isolation to take a walk across our wild landscapes and to explore beyond their own four walls. We believe that our remote islands are the perfect place to inspire people in lockdown—and, naturally, we hope to welcome them in person once everyone is free to travel again.”
5. “My Corona Diary”: Art is often a reflection of a period of time, capturing events and sentiment. French visual artist Pigalle Sabine has been isolating and creating a daily photographic series called “My Corona Diary.” Drawing upon rich art history references, the images infuse a shot of much-needed satire into our contemporary experience. Subsidized by the French solidarity art fund, the 30 x 30 cm prints (signed editions of 100) are available for only 200€ DM—contact sabinepigalle to request the print you love most!
