The Financial Times
Role:
Art Director
Agency:
Electrify Experiential Marketing
Report to Creative Director:
Shirra Smilansky
The Financial Times are known for their rich archive of diverse content. All three galleries showcase this content to deepen engagement and encourage word-of-mouth and advocacy amongst FT readers through an innovative, multi-sensory virtual experience. As senior art director, my role was to determine the layout for the galleries, create mockups and ensure the curation showcases the most compelling narrative. I worked closely with the artists to create exclusively commissioned art as well as junior members of the team to ensure the gallery was integrated into the platform.
Global Gallery: Climate Edition. For the full immersive experience, please access the gallery here
Part of this project meant working closely with the artist, to give direction on the bespoke art going into the gallery to help us tell our curated story. Valeria Mata was one of the artists we commissioned for our climate control gallery. I worked with her to get right aesthetic for each piece; then wrote the voice over script of the semiotic analysis for each of the three pieces featured in the gallery:
Artist: Valeria Mata
Semiotic voice over script written by me:
“Inspired by the measures that city leaders around the world outline in The Financial Times video report: Climate Change and the City, “City Under Water” depicts a futuristic municipality. Suffering the consequences of extreme climate conditions. A nod to the solutions city mayors pose, Valeria’s work imagines a new way of life. This urban cityscape has found modern ways of surviving the challenges we face today. An urban forest is the focal point of this piece as urban reforestation is integral for decarbonisation. The buildings are much taller in stature as sea levels continue to rise. They are untarnished by the thick clouds of smoke and have inbuilt vents which are able to recycle polluted air into much cleaner air. The windows have natural reflectors from the sun’s rays and are light in colour to protect the building from overheating. Solar powered transport is submerged underwater and is the only means of traveling around the city. The rising sea levels mean private cars are now prohibited. The exaggerated composition invites viewers to speculate at a utopian and harmonious City Vista, incorporating solutions city mayors offer in their strides towards a greener future.”
Artist: Valeria Mata
Semiotic voice over script written by me:
“Cooking Money” offers a surrealist portrait of the struggles born out of carbon money and power. The traditional brick chimneys nod to the start of the industrial revolution, reminiscent of a time when humans began to burn fossil fuels for energy. Over 100 years later and the plumes of the past must become history as we turn to greener energy, whilst also imposing a tax on what was once a revolutionary way of life. This artwork offers contemplation, pointing to the revolutions of the past which caused catastrophe at the hands of humans. The portrayal of money and power is represented by the hands releasing money from the industrial chimneys into the atmosphere, amongst the carbonised plume elements.
Artist: Valeria Mata
Semiotic voice over script written by me:
“Dreamhouse” merges a dream-like landscape against an urban backdrop to create a warped sense of dystopia fuelled by carbon. Valeria’s artwork submerges this provocative fantasy world under water to depict rising sea levels, by illuminating mountains with a warm glow of the sun to reflect our melting ice caps. The isolated supercar is presented almost as a shrine to represent the idea that cars no longer have purpose in this futuristic world. It acts as a reminder of the damaging effects cars have had on our climate and it sits merely for decoration. This contrasting fantasy world is synonymous with the urgent challenges we face today. Pollution, warmer climates and rising sea levels, while highlighting issues posed by consumption and growth.
FTWeekend Gallery: Arts Faces the Future. For the full immersive experience, please access the gallery here
Global Gallery: COP26 Edition. For the full immersive experience, please access the gallery here
IRL Activation
As part of 'FTWeekend Live’, we were given prime position next to the main stage to bring our “Arts Faces the Future” gallery to life. My role varied greatly where I was responsible for every creative touch point of this project to help bring this gallery to life.
IRL Skamps
In the press
