Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life, wrote Pablo Picasso, and 19 Artists versus COVID-19 has set out to do just that with a limited-edition poster project by Italian paper manufacturer Fedrigoni, printed by PUSH London, in collaboration with 19 artists.
The project which features an international collective of artists, was proposed and organised by Álvaro López, a London-based Spanish graphic designer, and one of the 19 artists. The initiative aims to raise funds for NHS Charities Together, a federation of 250 charitable organisations who support the National Health Service, its staff, volunteers and patients, in the United Kingdom.
Each creative was asked to design an A1 poster based around the current global pandemic, interpreting the message ‘Stay Home’ and social distancing. This universal slogan has been an important message during these unprecedented times, and has been vital in slowing down the rate of infections across the world.
Álvaro López, who issued the brief, says: “Every day I heard the news and was in awe of the bravery and dedication of key workers. I was at home, in furlough, and I felt the need to somehow help. I believe being at home can give you a different perspective on how to think and it can be genuinely inspiring. Tough times are always a source of creativeness; it’s in our human nature.”
The posters were litho printed single-sided by PUSH London on a Heidelberg Speedmaster, and are a limited edition of 75 copies per design. The designs used up to four Pantone colours, with each poster embossed with the Fedrigoni shield, and hand numbered. The choice of paper was based around the Fedrigoni Plus collection.
Although the message was constant, the design results were varied. Many were typographical – in particular Alan Kitching, Morag Myerscough, Nick Cook, Piero Di Biase, Vince Frost, Alejandro Paul, Michael Gibb and Mario Eskenazi.
A few were influenced by medicine and the charity the project supports, such as Álvaro López, Götz Gramlich, Shweta Malhotra, and Noma Bar. Others were architecturally themed and inspired by the artists’ homes, like Sarah Boris, Pablo Amargo, Michael Curia, Nina Jua Klein, Henrik Kubel, Matt Willey and Rob Lowe.
Each poster is unique. They convey not only the range of emotions that come with the pandemic situation, from the loneliness of self-isolating, the frustration of social distancing, the security of our homes, the struggle of daily routines, but also showing an appreciation for keyworkers, a positive outlook on our future and the hope of overcoming this pandemic. Most of all, it shows how we have come together as a community.
The posters are for sale online at 19vs19.co.uk for £19 (including VAT, excluding postage), with all profits going directly to NHS Charities Together. The first edition of each poster will be sold by auction at a later date. Once offices reopen, all 19 posters will also be exhibited in the Fedrigoni London Studio in Clerkenwell.
For more information on 19 Artists vs Covid-19: 19vs19.co.uk, 020 7242 3168, info@19vs19.co.uk
The Fedrigoni Plus collection, stocked in the UK and available for next day delivery: fedrigoni.co.uk, 01604 722 722, sales@fedrigoni.co.uk
