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Livingcoral1 Flowers

Living Coral

At the beginning of the year, Pantone announced their choice for 2019’s Color of the Year: Living Coral. A “coral hue with a golden undertone,” the color was chosen after a nine month process where the Pantone team looked at trend-setting industries around the world, gathering examples of colors or “proof points” from fashion runways, car shows, sporting events, social media, beauty, new technologies, and visual arts. In a process that’s more intuition than science, the colors were narrowed down until one stood out.

Livingcoralpantonekeychaincard

Pantone key chain $8, USB flash drive $15
pantone.com

“With everything that’s going on today, we’re looking for those humanizing qualities because we’re seeing online life dehumanizing a lot of things,” Laurie Pressman, Pantone’s vice president, told The Associated Press. “We’re looking toward those colors that bring nourishment and the comfort and familiarity that make us feel good. It’s not too heavy. We want to play. We want to be uplifted.”

The announcement came at a time when we’re surrounded by stories of plastic drowning our oceans and our sunscreen bleaching the very “living coral” that‘s being celebrated. It’s a strange juxtaposition: the desire for a cheerful, optimistic color that also brings attention to what we’re losing in real time.

Livingcoral3 Flowers

Floral installation by Krystal Chang

But living in these times is a constant reconciliation of opposites – trying to find connection IRL while existing in a digital world, going about our daily lives while knowing about climate change. But perhaps this color is a reminder of what keeps us going – the happy moments, the pops of joy, tempered by a communal responsibility for making sure the future remains as bright.

But perhaps this color is a reminder of what keeps us going – the happy moments, the pops of joy, tempered by a communal responsibility for making sure the future remains as bright.

Written by Krystal Chang

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Contributors

Krystal Chang

Krystal Chang is a writer and designer of flowers, installations, and landscapes in Los Angeles. Her background in architecture and construction informs the spatial quality of her work. She creates bespoke florals for events and clients including Esters Wine Shop, Lunya, Design Within Reach, and Poketo. She designs landscapes for residential and commercial clients with a focus on native and sustainable gardens.
krystalchang.com
IG: @krystalchang

amandawif

Amanda Quinn Olivar, JAM's new arts and culture editor, is also the editor at Curator magazine, producer of Seeing is Believing: Women Direct and the play Paint Made Flesh. She has collaborated on Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies and an upcoming project with Zandra Rhodes. She sits on the boards of London's Fashion and Textile Museum and The Chimaera Project. As a curator and arts advocate, she received the HeArt Award for her work benefiting A Window Between Worlds. Amanda has curated exhibits at The Cornell Art Museum, The Skirball Cultural Center, Fresno Art Museum, and Brand Art Center. Amanda lives and works in Los Angeles.

Jam Lunch 42319

JAM work session, Beverly Hills, CA, April 23, 2019

Thank you to Triana Cristobal, Alex Gallindo, Christina Graci, Cory Jones, Genie Hwang, Sora Connors, Duggie Fields, Lauren Taler, Sanjay Pawar, Meghan Lionel Murphy, Zandra Rhodes, John Olivar, Jennifer Gowey and Nick Noble.