Colour of the year 2020: Shouldn't it be 'surgical mask blue'?

If the colour of surgical masks were to have a name, it would be "Mask Blue" and it very well could have been the colour of the year since it has been under our nose (as well as over it) since March. Photo: AFP

Every year, Pantone unveils the colour set to define the trends of the following year. For 2021, there are two: Illuminating, a bright yellow, and Ultimate Grey.

And there might be a third contender for the colour of the year, if we look at the creative output of a Russian artist: mask blue.

If the colour of surgical masks were to have a name, it would be "Mask Blue" and it very well could have been the colour of the year since it has been under our nose (as well as over it) all day since March.

At least, that's the way it's been conceptualised by artist and creative director Artem Pozdniakov, who on Oct 15 posted on his Instagram account the famous Pantone square in the colour of the surgical mask.

The Colour of the Year revealed by Pantone for 2021 is a mix of two contrasting colours: Illuminating (a luminous yellow) and grey. Photos: Pantone Color Institute

His idea was to combine art and creativity in order to raise awareness about mask wearing: "Second wave...and it's bigger than the first one. So please wear this colour. This is a main trend," he wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.

With the arrival of the end of the year and the announcement of the colours for 2021 by Pantone, this image reappeared on social networks.

Two 'Colours of the Year'

The real colour chosen by Pantone to define 2021 was unveiled earlier in December. It's actually a mix of the two contrasting colours of a luminous yellow and grey. Optimism and sobriety.

The 2021 Colour of the Year, Illuminating (a luminous yellow) and grey, represents optimism and sobriety.

"Alone, a grey would be stagnant and depressing, while a yellow would be overly ebullient. Together, the pair are meant to be both optimistic and thoughtful," writes Fast Company.

The Pantone company has been publishing colours of the year for over 20 years, serving as a trend spotter and influencing different areas of product development, such as the fashion, industrial and interior design sectors.

Last year, the colour chosen for 2020 was a "boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky", Classic Blue. A reassuring and comforting colour that, give or take a few tones, fits perfectly with the colour of the surgical mask. – AFP Relaxnews