Life has been turned upside-down. Everyday activities have been put on hold, the dining table is now an office, and video calling is the new way to meet people. Distance is the new buzzword, which only makes us realize just how important closeness and intimacy really are. At a time when we have to contend with more and more restrictions and are very aware of our own vulnerability, we derive satisfaction from helping people around us. Grocery shopping for the lady next door, singing outside the windows of a nursing home, phoning to check on somebody — somehow we feel more connected to one another than ever before.
All this makes us reflect on what truly matters. Is it survival, at the expense of everything else we consider so important? Besides all the protocols, is there enough space for what visibly does us good? And what about the bigger picture: the functioning of society, the viability of the planet? This online exhibition shows the power of design research in finding answers to these questions. It presents projects by designers and care professionals who together, with a forward-looking approach, are working to create a healthy society. The Embassy of Health invites you to join them on their unconventional tour that explores the values and possibilities of caring for ourselves and one another.
Design & concept: Jólan van der Wiel and Nick Verstand
Illustratie: Joery Verweij