Global Challenge

Is This the End of the World as We Know It?

By Robert Eysoldt with contributions from Tim O’Brien, Parisa Tashakori, Eku Wand, Pelin Celik, Klaus Welp, and Lahav Halevy, March 2020, Berlin, New York, Boulder, Helsinki, Tel Aviv

Who would have thought a few weeks ago that our whole lives would be turned upside down. The consequences of the coronavirus are hitting our private lives and the economy worldwide like a hammer. The global design, culture and creative industries are also feeling the immediate effects. Restaurants and clubs were closed. Trade fairs, events and concerts have been cancelled. In particular smaller companies and self-employed are concerned about how they are going to survive the coming weeks and months.

Even if governments around the world promise subsidies and loans, no one can say how long this situation will last and how drastic the long-term consequences will be for companies and individuals. While many creative people are worried about their existence, others in the industry see not only a crisis, but also a necessary caesura to question their own actions.

Over the past few days I have asked friends and colleagues whether the corona virus is destroying the design and creative industries or the crisis might even be an opportunity? I wanted to know from them what they think about the situation, whether the design and creative industries perhaps even have the right answers to the crisis, and whether we all perhaps need to rethink our actions.

Their answers are certainly not definitive solutions to the crisis, but personal impulses in a very dynamic time.

Lahav Halevy, Graphic Designer, Partner at BLUE COLLAR, Tel Aviv, Israel

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

Crisis, any crisis, not only cannot destroy creativity, it fuels it. We become better in times of need.
As for the economic part of the industry: Personally, I don’t like to think of design as “Industry”. More than this – I think that the mere use of this word – “Industry” – in relation to “Design”, even the semantics of it, points exactly at one of the main problems of modern society nowadays. But beyond this – the design world would be hurt like any other in the urban, western world most of us live in. If one is an optimist, like I take myself to be, than it sure opens new horizons and endless possibilities.

How do you feel about the situation?

It is Tuesday, March 24th, today. While writing, I sit alone in my empty studio for the 10th day now, whereas usually it is occupied by 8 more people. The streets below me are as empty as the studio. All is strangely quiet. Three of my designers work from home (we shipped them the iMacs…), the rest are on forced vacation.

The studio is rather a big open space (and in Tel Avivian standard it’s even considered elegant…), in the first building in tel Aviv that had an elevator in it, 97 years old now. I along these days, I work around the clock for customers who do their best to save their businesses – restaurants, cafes, bakeries, organizations that try to “invent” new services, etc. Some of them won’t make, myself included. Time will tell.

Luckily, I don’t have time to “feel” about the situation… I work, I produce. When I don’t write or design for the customers, I do posters or write something that might help other people. Everybody is in need of something. Some look for comfort, some for something that would make them laugh, some for explanations, clarity.

Posters I do usually late at nights. Apart of the fact I can listen now to avant garde music all day long, the over all is not nice at all. Apparently, it is not in our hands to do anything about it, so I guess we have to just wait, which is one of the hardest things to do.

Does the design and creative industry perhaps even have the right answers to the crisis?

Answers cannot be in the possession of any field as a whole, but in the hands of individuals only. Some designers sure have ideas about the crisis, but even scientists don’t have answers yet. Once the Coronavirus itself will be in control, we’ll have to start to ask the right questions and look for answers, and new ways to express these answers.

Do we have to rethink?

Oh, we have to rethink for many years now. It’s only that now it was forced upon us. We have, all of us – individuals, nations, societies – to be more humble (I even know how you say it in German, because I gave few lectures about Design and Humbleness in Germany in the past few years – “Bescheiden”, right?).
We’ll have to learn how to live in smaller scales, closer circles, slower movements. To consume less, to breath more. That’s a serious lesson, and we’re paying now a heavy price for it> I think that we don’t even know how heavy.

We will rethink, and we will become better. I teach my kids that when strong winds blow, you have to bend and wait till it’s gone. That’s where we’re at now, strong winds outside. Stay home, draw, write, cook, lie in bed watch the ceiling for hours, it might bring some amazing thoughts into you. Who knows. The most arrogant, dangerous thing about us is the belief that we know everything. ■

Tim O’Brien, Illustrator, Portrait Painter, Professor at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, United States

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

Art and income are separate things. Designers and Illustrators seek to merge art money to earn a living. I can’t begin to ponder the industry, long-term. However art and creativity can certainly thrive. Artists can do their work, seek to communicate with others and provide a soothing element in our challenging times. I hope to stay productive, to perhaps create a staggering body of work and when this is over be richer for it.

How do you feel about the situation?

I’m sad for young people who are in high school or college, especially those in senior year. I feel leaders and the media needs to spend more time discussing feelings and crafting a positive outlook. I am not personally afraid of getting sick, but I don’t want my family to get the virus, I don’t want my friends and neighbors to fall ill, so I will endure this burden for the time being. I am looking forward to a summer where this isolation is lessened.

Does the design and creative industry perhaps even have the right answers to the crisis and do we have to rethink?

I am not sure the design community has any right answers to this crisis other than leading by example, showing empathy, and perhaps providing visually compelling art that adds to the public discourse. ■

Parisa Tashakori, Visual Artist & Graphic Designer, Boulder, United States

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

I think we are not the only ones in this situation. Everybody will be affected from this virus. Many stable businesses and new start-ups will be damaged. We’re all in the same boat. Some of the jobs, like food industries, distributors and health care providers will stay active, but they are also in the risk zone. I think all professions have the responsibility to inform their families and communities about the COVID19 and consequences of not taking it seriously. Graphic designers’ roles are more important than any other time to warn people and clarify the messages and pass it to audiences. It’s exactly the perfect time to donate our profession to humanity, and I hope our leader support us in this way. Although I believe in the universe more than leaders and governments and if we do good, it will support us.

How do you feel about the situation?

I try not to get paranoid and panic. Yesterday, March 18th 2020, I listened to Angela Merkel’s speech about the COVID19 crisis. When a wise leader like her mentioned that Coronavirus is Germany’s greatest challenge since World War Two, I realized that it is more than serious now. This outbreak will be a huge challenge for people all over the world, not just for German people.
I also enjoy the way she talked about the disaster by sharing all her transparent thoughts with her people. I wish the leaders in America and my original country Iran, were able to follow her lead.

Does the design and creative industry perhaps even have the right answers to the crisis?

Nobody has the answers for that.

Do we have to rethink?

We as human beings are just one of the earth’s inhabitants should rethink and review all our previous behavior and habits to the earth. These days we are reading and listening more than any other time. The most interesting statement that I heard last week was from a designer-friend from Ecuador. Belen Mena said, “ The earth is inviting us to move more slowly” And this is truly right!!! ■

Klaus Welp, Visual Journalist & Director, Helsinki, Finland

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

I see the question setting a bit narrow. In the bigger picture the corona-pandemic is also the result of globalization and neoliberalism. People and products are transported all around the world and consumerism grows on the cost of the environment. Designers and creatives have also big responsibility in promoting things and ideas. Instead of being worried about designing opportunities we should ask ourselves if the work we do is worth the saving or not.

How do you feel about the situation?

I am naturally worried for my loved ones and very sorry for people suffering in this big crisis. However, I cannot refrain from reflecting on why we have not acted in the same dramatic way in the environmental crisis we are facing in the near future. Before the corona virus, people and politicians said time and again that people would not change their habits. Now we see how the whole world has become active in our common cause. Hopefully after this crisis we are ready to change our daily habits to fight a much bigger threat – the climate change which will definitely destroy and exterminate entire species and bring about irreversible changes for future generations.

Does the design and creative industry perhaps even have the right answers to the crisis? 

We really have great and powerful tools to make the change happen. The question is which ideas we want to strengthen with it.

Do we have to rethink?

Absolutely. Every day. ■

Pelin Celik, Professor for Industrial Design at the HTW Berlin

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

Without creativity a society would collapse. Just have a look at all the creative solutions any designer and artist is elaborating in an alternative way at the moment. Of course it will have consequences to the creative economy as we already had it in 2000 and 2008, but we have to rethink our business concepts or habits and reinvent ourselves. Every crises invents a new business for the creative industry. Let’s work on it for a better future after CORONA! We creative people know how to deal insecurities! ■

Eku Wand, Designer, Multimedia Director and Professor at HBK Braunschweig, living and working in Germany and Indonesia

Is the corona virus destroying the design and creative industry or is the crisis perhaps even an opportunity?

True designers belong to those people who, out of intrinsic motives, are always dealing with improvements and inventions. Disruptions therefore are our permanent companions for innovation and we love and need these challenges. The complexity of those herein are the barometer for the complexity of the solutions and quality of designs we come up with. In this sense, designers are masters of adaptation by nature — we usually find our way around most quickly under new conditions through solution-oriented thinking, acting, experimenting, improving, producing, implementing and communicating. Having visions therefore is not an illness but a lived everyday life. Let’s get to work!
Furthermore the corona virus can be seen as a positive caesura while questioning the necessity of living standards we have designed and achieved so far. With a little help from my friends in #DesignThinking. ■

When the future changes direction

Many thanks to all designers and authors who took the time to share their thoughts. As already written: Their thoughts are not solutions to this crisis, but personal impulses in a very dynamic time.

I hope that this crisis will teach us something and change our perspective on issues that influence the quality of our lives together in a positive way. But no matter what the future holds, the current crisis will keep us busy for a very long time. Today I read an article in which Matthias Horx, a leading German trend and future researcher, was asked when Corona is over and everything will return to normal. His answer was:

“Never. There are historical moments when the future changes direction. These times are now.”

That sounds exciting and frightening at the same time.

What are your thoughts on the crisis? How would you answer the questions? You are welcome to send your answers via e-mail. Selected texts will then be published on this website or on our various social media pages.

Stay healthy & stay at home! ■