Art

Carlsberg's craft beer brand, YAU, has partnered with a porcelain factory in Hong Kong to create limited-edition beer glasses. The collectibles showcase the factory's craftsmanship and tap into a desire for unique and hyper-local products that celebrate the values of creativity and culture.

Playing up its craft heritage, Swiss watchmaker Breguet is hoping to connect with potential new customers through an art exhibit at Frieze New York. The brand's approach reflects the changing role of wristwatches, with many viewing them as investments and works of art rather than practical objects.

Henna, a traditional art form for decoration and celebration, is being modernised by a new wave of artists. With younger generations embracing novel modes of expression while still respecting their culture and traditions, henna serves as a powerful marker of identity and community connection.

A digital campaign is bringing attention to Brazil's homelessness problem. Created through a partnership between AlmapBBDO, an NGO focused on making the overlooked in society visible, and photographer Felipe Morozini, it uses a set of striking murals to drive the message home.

German artist Boris Eldagsen has rejected a prestigious photography award, revealing that his submission was AI-generated – a bid to make a point about AI ethics and art. Amid growing concerns around generative AI, there's a need for more substantial regulations to make the tech more trustworthy.

The Museum of Failure spotlights numerous commercial ideas that didn’t pan out, aiming to stimulate discussion about accepting and learning from mistakes. Amid pushback against constant self-optimization, people want reassurance that it’s okay that their lives aren't picture-perfect.

Adobe has launched a family of AI creative cloud tools called Firefly, trained with stock images to avoid copyright backlash. This innovation provides a new way of working for artists without technical expertise while avoiding the potential for plagiarism and questions around ownership.

In a historic first for France, the University of Angers will be launching a women’s museum to shed light on the history of French feminism. As museums globally face a social justice reckoning, the initiative is an example of minority communities telling their stories on their own terms.

Aglaé's bio-based serum transforms plants into fluorescent artworks. While integrating elements of biophilia into public spaces can create immersive environments that reconnect people with nature, it could also provide electricity-free light solutions to facilitate sustainable living.

Over-crowded corridors and winding queues have long been a part of the Louvre's identity. Yet, the museum is changing gears and focusing on offering a slower museum experience to its visitors, meeting people's demands for quality over quantity in their travel experiences.

To support the floundering art sector and help younger generations experience culture, Germany has launched a free KulturPass. Amid a cost of living crisis people are looking for accessible and affordable ways to enjoy cultural experiences.

Museums have long been led by privileged voices, impacting cultural narratives. To address under-representation in these spaces, Tate is launching a free curatorial training course to help elevate voices from lower socio-economic backgrounds, paving the way for more diverse museum exhibitions.

Banksy has called upon shoplifters to target a Guess store in London after the brand used his artwork allegedly without his consent. The artist has exacerbated tensions as people consistently hear narratives of brands taking advantage of artists' work, despite calls for more honesty.

As the pedestrianisation of cities retains support post-pandemic, some European cities are receiving funding to turn pavements into artworks in a bid to improve safety for urban walkers. With people looking for enjoyable ways to navigate cities, there are brand opportunities to protect pedestrians.

Meta has partnered with Make Me Pulse to refocus our historical lens away from the male gaze and address the predominance of male statues in Denmark. Through the creation of a mixed reality art experience, the company is hoping to set a precedent for representation in the metaverse.

Oslo’s Revier hotel is handing over the reins to artist Constance Tenvik to build its new visual identity with 101 artworks throughout the space. As people look for experiential holidays after years of lockdowns, hotels are having to up their game to compete with immersive offerings like Airbnb.

Stable Diffusion is the latest open-source AI image generator signalling a growing appetite for new kinds of tech-enabled creativity. Offering brands exciting avenues for innovative communications, it also necessitates intentional mitigation against misinformation and technological biases.

Lanoba ships unwanted mid-century Danish furniture to the tri-state area where it’s bought by those with an affinity for functionality, geometric lines, and eco-friendly products. As circularity bleeds into homewares, refurbished vintage pieces could be part of making furniture more sustainable.

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and auction house Christie’s are coming together to offer two items from the site’s early days to the highest bidder. The tie-up showcases a marketing strategy that will see lots of publicity and profit, while tapping into a demand for digital engagement.

Pantone’s 2022 Colour of the Year, Very Peri, has been formulated to reflect the growing visibility of the metaverse in the everyday and a desire for serenity amid pandemic-era chaos. As people continue to self-express through non-verbal cues, colour is proving its clout as a way to convey identity.

Through a series of vintage posters, Asian Americans are addressing the rise in hate crimes by answering the question, ‘Where are you really from?’ With brands expected to take a stand on social issues, the campaign debunks stereotypes by harnessing a sense of nostalgia.

Radiohead has launched an interactive, virtual exhibition that explores two of its albums in a video game-like way. With many brands and musicians exploring the potential of virtual experiences, the exhibition shows how merging gaming and music can create deep and thought-provoking experiences.

Chinese fashion influencers are embracing the #roomtour and using it as an opportunity to expand their commercial scope beyond fashion to include lifestyle, home decor, and furniture. The approach is being welcomed by brands seeking to reach new audiences in the Chinese market.

Artist and Knowles sister Solange has launched a free community library for rare works of Black creativity, ranging from art catalogs to history books. The platform, part of a surge in appreciation for Black storytelling, aims to educate and inspire through works selected by guest curators.

Exploring the phygital boundaries of make-up with material science is The Unseen which has created a dual-reality eyeshadow that transforms due to a flash of light. With Gen Zers using digital spaces to express their individuality, the brand aims to inspire with clever cosmetics.

Google’s ‘pocket gallery’, which once allowed AR-compatible devices to view artworks, has now expanded to allow all internet users to get access to exclusive and often too fragile pieces to see in real life. The move exemplifies how digital spaces can improve access to culture.

As China’s market matures, consumers are attaching great importance to commodities that not only meet their aesthetic demands, but their intellectual ones too. This is especially true of Chinese Gen Zers who are seeking products that fuel their patriotism by creatively merging the old with the new.

The British Museum has partnered with LaCollection to launch NFT editions of artist Katsushika Hokusai’s work. The launch includes an exhibition opening of ‘Hokusai, The Great Picture Book of Everything’ at the British Museum and the sale of digital copies of Hokusai’s work.

As people look for more sustainable food options, urban farming is growing in popularity. With vertical farms aiding in a sustainable urban redesign, brands that make use of their space for agriculture can help shift perceptions of farming into the future, earning eco-credentials in the process.

An art installation in London has been created, aiming to help people create a sense of connection with friends and strangers. Sonic Connection is an example of how artwork is helping people connect with one another post-pandemic and taking steps to re-humanise the urban environment.

Long a fixture of faith among devout Christians and central to Catholic spirituality, the Virgin Mary is increasingly becoming a symbol of empowerment among global young people of various creeds and beliefs. Her increased prominence in contemporary culture is opening up opportunities for brands.

While the pandemic left many people unemployed, it sparked an entrepreneurial spirit for others which has led to a substantial increase in start-ups. Whether out of necessity or inspiration, the uptake in small businesses is proving to be a much-needed boost for the economy.

Utrecht Centraal Musem has launched 'The Blind Spot', an exhibition using sound, smell, and touch to make art more accessible for the visually impared. With the culture industry lagging behind on accessible entertainment, the museum is paving the way to make art more enjoyable for all.

3D-printed houses are becoming increasingly popular, particularly in California which is constructing a plethora of 3D-printed homes amid its housing crisis. Considering its fast construction and low cost, this could be the answer for more efficient houses around the world.

The events of 2020 sparked a shift in art consumption and a rise in online-only art transactions but people still want to experience the exclusivity and service of in-person sales. Art House is an ever-changing art exhibition that rethinks how to engage art lovers post-pandemic.

Fashion brand Feyfey is trying to get women comfortable with the idea of taking up space through a satirical line of clothing that inflates to cartoonish sizes. The line comes as the working world grapples with restarting their commute to the office and diminished personal space.