Vibes: February 2021
A perfect 28 days, or a full 4 weeks, this February has given us a second shot at 2021.
🐿 Short on time? Here's the nutshell...
This February we explore what it means to creatively adjust institutions - namely the systems that often stifle design. We encounter Lulu Wang's short film Nian, a compelling coming-of-age tale that navigates the Chinese New Year through the lens of the humble iPhone. We get into LGBTQ+ History Month through our headphones, plus some real gems this month with Black Disabled Creatives compiling a directory of underrepresented talent, alongside 21 creatives and their visual calls to action — sounds like something we could all do with right now.
What's New?
👆 The High
Abb-d will be part of a panel with other organisational and design leaders on the topic of Actions with Impact: Creating Meaningful, Measurable Change this March. We've been thinking about what it means to weave positive impact into the fabric of our business practice and how we can action that in our everyday. Tune in for some insightful pearls of wisdom on March 9th at 6pm, click here for your free registration.
👇 The Low
We're passing the mic to you this month. We would love to hear what highs and lows you or your business might be experiencing right now — how have you been facing the challenges and managing the shifts in productivity? Anything a conversation could solve, or at least set you on a new path?
What's been your high & low?
The Driftime® team.
No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.
Marsha P. Johnson
Do countries need their own creative directors?
What could we achieve if creatives had a direct line to resolve the issues that our systems and governments face? To be a creative director is to help guide ministries... well, creatively. It's a gentle edging beyond corporate rigidity into an exciting new realm. Ex-Googler, Steve Vranakis, has a unique role as Chief Creative Officer of Greece, lending his hand to re-brand the nation through innovative technology, creativity, and sustainability.
Incidentally, the virtual world of Minecraft has created "Sustainability City", an educational effort to explore energy efficiency in the urban space.
A second shot at the new year with Lulu Wang.
Friday 12th February ushered the Year of the Ox into 2021, a welcome new beginning in a year of false starts. Shot entirely on an iPhone 12 Pro Max, this coming-of-age short film Nian is a celebration of Chinese New Year, a heartwarming interpretation of a renowned Chinese folktale. Watch the full 11 minutes plus an insightful "making of" here with Director Lulu Wang.
As a bonus, we found some solace in Josie Tucker's Pep Talk on using creativity for climate activism. Tuning into the energies around us and keeping spirits high has its own challenges and pace, something that requires patience, perception, and more often than not, a bit of light comedy. Catch the talk here.
This LGBTQ+ History Month brings to light a whole host of podcasts platforming sidelined voices — think gender, identity, and celebration.
LGBTQ+ history month centres the voices of marginalised communities this February, uplifting the identities that are routinely erased and oppressed. In light of the pandemic halting in-person events, we've taken time to learn from lived experiences through podcasts, with the likes of Gender Reveal, Like Minded Friends, and Getting Curious finding their way onto our playlists, amongst others. It's about education and allyship. We loved JVN's podcast with ALOK on "emotional alchemy", queer history, and what it means to live beyond the gender binary.
21 posters by 21 creatives who are looking to share positive messages and insights.
"How do you make it in 2021?", this push for innovation generates a new-found focus in the ever-changing industry. MakingIt21, is a collection of motivational calls to action. With an up-and-coming generation of early-career creatives finding their feet in an unpredictable world, our community is working to uplift new voices and provide inspiration for the up and coming talent making it's way into the field.
Participants include Camille Walala, Morag Myerscough, and Stefan Sagmeister, take a look at the posters here.
The businesses digging in their pockets, small change, big impact.
Google has established a new programme for Black-founded startups in Europe to gain increased access to funding. Tackling some bleak statistics, less than 0.5% of funding goes to Black-led startups. Whilst this is a stellar step forward, there's no joy in handing medals out for things that should have been done decades back. It comes down to base level representation, something that Black Disabled Creatives and Diversify Photo are looking to advance with the help of Google tools. A directory to help create new opportunities for inclusion without tokenisation.
📌 Noteworthy
The internet didn’t kill counterculture—you just won’t find it on Instagram
“To be truly countercultural in a time of tech hegemony, one has to, above all, betray the platform which may come in the form of betraying or divesting from your public online self.”
Why accessibility matters
Rinkoo Barpaga on Deaf short cinema and intersectionality. An art-maker with a finger in most mediums - documentarian, playwright, street photographer, activist and stand-up comedian!
Is there something we could be doing better? Share your thoughts and let’s continue the discussion.