Art And Design Pieces Decked Out In Pantone's Colour Of The Year

Since 2000, Pantone Colour Institute has been releasing an annual ‘Colour of the Year’ to forecast design trends and reflect on topics of global concern. The consulting service declared Ultimate Grey and Illuminating as the Colours of 2021. 

This year’s selection holds greater significance due to its social message about the ongoing pandemic: Ultimate Grey — which evokes an association with natural elements such as beach pebbles or a weather-beaten cliff — connotes a sense of fortitude. Illuminating is a fluorescent shade of yellow that inspires cheerfulness in the face of setbacks. Together, these two discrete colours signify humanity’s resilience and hope amidst a difficult health crisis, along with the importance of unity. 

While the year is reaching its halfway mark, it is never too late to perk up your living space with this emboldening colour combination. The Artling has specially assembled a collection of Art and Design pieces for this occasion.  

The acquisition of a new painting can serve as an opportunity to convey aspirations for the future, and here is one by Johan Söderström to kickstart the process. The abstract image is made from pouring grey and white filler into an oak frame, giving rise to its distinct graphic expression and tactile quality. Like the other works from Söderström’s ‘Inter’ series, its island-based motif evokes John Locke’s famous quote that  "No man is an island”; communal support is essential to human nature and survival. While the artist intended to address the global refugee crisis via this painting, its message of valuing humanism and empathy is also relevant to the pandemic.

Artist Nadim Kurani has always taken an interest in reimagining the purpose of mundane objects, this time being a concrete block in his ‘Unblocked’ series. By assembling this industrial material into various configurations that are joined by brightly coloured rings, he challenges the preconceived uses and notions that are commonly associated with it. The new sculptural hybrids thereby grant the concrete block a second chance at an amplified life.  

With a background in Mathematics and Computer Science, Lian Ng’s artistic practice involves the use of mathematical algorithms alongside typography and architectural references. ‘Irregular Circles / Grey’ emerged from a process of pattern generation that either expands or manipulates visual elements to create complex systems. Its hand-cut circles, which are composed of inking relief at different consistencies, assign the formal structure with a sense of organic fluidity. 

Lighting plays an integral role in creating a comfortable and welcoming space. Its emotional function is highlighted in Jong-su Kim’s lamp design. The lampshade is attached to a yellow shelf whose form mimics a ray of light. Whether it is installed on a wall or set on a desk, this playful design is perfect for spotlighting memorabilia and keepsakes. 

Yakamoz No 6 Kilim Rug brings the joy of catching golden sunsets indoors. Drawing inspiration from poetry, 'Studio Kali' founder Fulden Topaloglu depicts light reflections casted on water in alternating abstract patterns. The creative baton is then passed on to a team of Anatolian weavers, whose nifty hands transform the image into a kilim using vegetable dyed Anatolian wool. Combining traditional Mediterranian craft techniques with contemporary aesthetics, this tapestry is an ode to the longstanding wisdom of local communities. 

It is not surprising to learn that Samuel Lamas’ Sandra Armchair clinched the Architecture Masterprize in 2019; The two natural leather cushions that form the backrest and seat stand out from the main structure to achieve maximum lightness. The thin steel tubes’ curved structural lines suggest a sense of fluidity. Characteristic of Lamas’ practice, this design is underpinned by ‘architectonic and geometric reasoning’, but retains a humble simplicity fit for any home. 

As its name suggests, Jeonghwa Seo’s shelf and bench series is an investigation into uncommon yet useful structures and material for furniture design. The tubular base of this basalt and cast aluminium bench can be stacked with smaller compartments like its high seat, which allows for flexibility in configuration during production. Despite its raw industrial appearance, it is carefully constructed and sandpapered by hand. It is this rigorous process that places Structure for use within the intersections of innovation, functionality, and aesthetics. 

Creative studio Cultivado em Casa enjoys experimenting with material. This stylish sideboard is part of their D33 collection, which seeks to foreground the underrated and largely concealed material of foam. The team decided to make full use of its absorption properties by letting it undergo a thorough process of paint soaking and acrylic resin coating. Once dried, the soft and springy foam becomes sturdy enough for other purposes. Its new-found versatility enables it to be stacked into diverse geometric forms, which gives rise to Cultivado em Casa’s striking furniture pieces. 

While audiences have varied readings of Aor Suttiprapha’s ceramic works — some applaud their oriental sensibility while others insist on certain Scandinavian elements — they can probably agree on the serenity and timelessness that they exude. This is actually attributed to the influence of Buddhist philosophy in her practice: Suttiprapha regards her interaction with the earthly medium as a means for contemplation and internal dialogue. In spite of their simplistic forms, each piece of ceramicware requires intense concentration throughout a highly repetitive process.

Glazed in a bright yet gentle yellow, This too shall pass_yellow inspires the reminder that the thrusting times do not last forever, and to thereby trudge on in confidence. 

Click here to view The Artling's Ultimate Grey and Illuminating Yellow collection.