Introducing the Wallpaper* ‘World View’ series
Wallpaper* ‘World View’ shines light on the creativity and resilience of designers around the world as they confront the challenges wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Working with contributing editors across eleven global territories, we reach out to creative talents to ponder the power of design in difficult times and share messages of hope.
These are tough times for the design industry. Shutdowns and social distancing measures have required designers everywhere to abandon their studios and other collaborative workplaces in favour of their own homes. Supply chains have been thrown into disarray, manufacturing and retail both forced into a slump, and fairs and exhibitions either postponed or cancelled. The loss of Milan Design Week 2020 – a cherished occasion to come together from all over the world, celebrate the fruits of our labour and chart our course for the year ahead – has been felt particularly keenly.
To this, we say, let us unite in spirit.
Beyond picture-perfect places and tantalising things, Wallpaper* has always been about creative talent, the fertile minds and adventurous spirits that sustain the design industry. And we recognise that in this era of physical isolation, we need a sense of camaraderie more than ever. This is why we’re launching a new series, titled ‘World View’. We’ve tapped into our global network of contributing editors, to showcase how designers in each of their territories are meeting challenges with creativity and resilience.
We have asked participating designers to tell us how their work has been affected by the pandemic, what limitations they may be grappling with, and how they are staying positive and productive. We want to find out what technologies they are leveraging, whether they are returning to analogue methods or experimenting with new platforms for communicating and designing. We’ve also invited them to each contribute an image – whether a photograph, sketch, rendering or collage – to offer us a window into their current frame of mind.
Above all, we’ve encouraged them to share how they might have found a silver lining to this crisis. Some have seized the opportunity to revisit personal projects that had been put on the back burner; more have reconnected with and found solidarity among fellow designers; even more have taken the time to reflect and recharge, to discover new priorities and new sources of inspiration.
‘World View’ is our attempt to weave together their stories, in hope that they might offer illumination in our darker moments. We hope you will find inspiration in this series and keep in mind that, though we can’t come together in person right now, we are all in this together.
With love from home
Team Wallpaper*
Read more from Wallpaper* World View
Letter from Milan
Letter from Singapore
Letter from Melbourne
Letter from New York City
Letter from Paris
Letter from California
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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
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World View: Letter from India
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World View: Letter from Brazil
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World View: Letter from Denmark
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World View: Letter from South Africa
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