US' Pantone introduces Viva Magenta as colour of the year 2023

Assertive but not aggressive, Viva Magenta is a carmine red that does not boldly dominate but instead takes a ‘fist in a velvet glove’ approach. Brave and fearless, a pulsating colour whose exuberance promotes optimism and joy. Powerful and empowering, it is an animated red that encourages experimentation and self-expression without restraint; an electrifying, boundaryless shade that is manifestly out there and is a stand-out statement. Audacious, witty and inclusive of all, Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same rebellious spirit, Pantone said in a media release.

Channelling the essence of Viva Magenta, Pantone worked with creative partner Huge, to engage in a design experiment that explores the relationship— the tensions—between new technology and human creativity. Working with the AI generative tool Midjourney, the team created the visual manifestation of Viva Magenta by incorporating the messages and ideas embodied by the colour to curate an immersive world that examines the connections between nature and technology. The key visual—a bold and brave statement that amplifies the fearless yet natural elements of Viva Magenta, designed with the help of artificial intelligence—serves as an invitation into an optimistic and endless new ecosystem to be explored, called the Magentaverse.

For the first time, Pantone and Artechouse will bring the Pantone colour of the year to life as an exhibition at Artechouse Miami from December 3, 2022. The Pantone x Artechouse exhibition, which is built on a four-year partnership between the two companies, is an artistic exploration of the Magentaverse, featuring immersive rooms with textures and interactions that plunge attendees into an array of visual, auditory, and tactile experiences—all in the spirit of Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta, the release added.

The exhibition will feature colour explorations in design, space, and technology inspired by NASA and Pantone partners Motorola, Lenovo, Spoonflower, and more that bring Pantone 18-750 Viva Magenta to life for visitors to experience.

“To embody the spirit of Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta, we embarked on a new approach of collective creative collaboration,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. “Leveraging the power of technology and Pantone’s expertise in colour to curate a new interpretation of the Pantone Color of the Year, we created the Magentaverse, an unexpected and exciting colour universe we look forward to sharing with the world to experience as well.”

More than just a colour, the installation presents a fully immersive experience that allows guests to feel the power of a hue scaled to fantastical proportions. This is the fourth consecutive year that Pantone and Artechouse have partnered to reveal the Pantone Color of the Year and the first time it will be an exhibition open to the public.

“As virtual worlds become a more prominent part of our daily lives, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known. Rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, it galvanises our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

“The last few years were transformative in many ways in terms of people’s sense of self, and the way wellbeing, priorities and identity are being thought about,” added Pressman. “As a result, space has been created where we are free to explore and be accepted for exactly who we feel we are, whether it be in a cybernetic universe, a conventional space, or a magical blend of both. We are creating a dynamic world that encourages experimentation, one that leverages the virtual within the physical realm and emboldens our strength and spirit to explore ground-breaking possibilities.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)