Colours play an important role in navigation. Here are some, chosen for the ‘Pantone Color of the Year’ with philosophy and arguments. They tell us exactly were we are in time and place and hint at speed and direction
These colours has become part of our common history and function as orientating points from which to navigate. They shine in our cloths, apparels, furniture, walls, interiors and objects as silent beacons for the public domain of society and nature.
They speak in fact a language which could be embraced by the world of public administration and governance. They could generate energy, creativity and innovation. It is the language of navigation.
Civitas Naturalis selected the chosen colours between 2017 and 2023. All related text are quotes from Pantone® presentations.
“The Pantone’s Color of the Year 2023, Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.
This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement. The color welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. 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, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2022 Very Peri PANTONE 17-3938 displays a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity that animates our creative spirit, inquisitive and intriguing helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives.
Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“As we move into a world of unprecedented change the selection of PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue color family, encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time with its violet red undertone, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expressions.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2021 actually is a marriage of two colors, being PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. These are two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another. They best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of both colors is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.
As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity, and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality. PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power. PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2020 Classic Blue PANTONE 19-4052 is a timeless and enduring blue hue and elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking colour highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.
Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2019 PANTONE 16-1546 Living Corai is vibrant, yet mellow and embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment. In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy.
Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of this color welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, it embodies our desire for playful expression.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities and this is particularly true for Living Coral. With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial PANTONE Living Coral hit a responsive chord.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2018 PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet is a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade. It communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future. Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.
Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of this color symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level. From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”
“The Pantone Color of the Year 2017 Pantone 15-0343 Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.
Greenery is nature’s neutral. The more submerged people are in modern life, the greater their innate craving to immerse themselves in the physical beauty and inherent unity of the natural world. This shift is reflected by the proliferation of all things expressive of Greenery in daily lives through urban planning, architecture, lifestyle and design choices globally. A constant on the periphery, Greenery is now being pulled to the forefront – it is an omnipresent hue around the world.”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute:
“Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.”