arc Jun/Jul 2020 – Issue 116

Turn on, tune in…
arc’s gone digital with the newly launched arc TV…

Well, here we are again! A quick look at my calendar tells me that, at the time of writing, we’re in our 11th week of lockdown here in the UK. While it’s crazy to think that it has been that long already, it also feels like a lifetime ago since I last went into our office, or to the cinema, or to a football game, or to the pub (remember going to the pub?!).
It’s safe to say that we’ve all adapted pretty well to the “new normal” of life under lockdown – quizzes over Zoom, webinars, working from home, quizzes over Zoom, webinars, etc. And I have to admit that while the prospect of spending an indeterminate amount of time at home with just my cat for company during the day (Mrs. Waring continues to do amazing work as a proton radiotherapist for the NHS) was pretty daunting, this whole experience has given me a newfound appreciation for some of life’s little pleasures: a simple walk along the nearby river, the sound of birds in the trees and where possible, soaking up some much-needed sunshine!
It’s also allowed us at [d]arc media to try a few new things here and there, including the launch of our new online platform – arc tv, where we’ve collated some of the best visual content from across the lighting industry. We’ve also made a couple of our own exclusive [d]arc thoughts videos. In the first, I chatted with Mark Elliott of FPOV, Birgit Walter from BMLD, Brett Andersen of Focus Lighting, and Deeksha Surendra of dpa lighting consultants about how the lighting design industry has reacted to Covid-19 on a global scale. In our second video, our own Paul James checks in for a chat with Speirs + Major Principal, Mark Major. We’ve got plenty more exclusive content in the pipeline too, so look out for further announcements.
In between all of this, we’ve also been working hard to bring you this, the latest issue of arc magazine. With a special focus on the Far East, I was delighted to speak with our cover stars, teamLab, about their creative process, and the ethos behind their incredible installations.
Our Assistant Editor Sarah Cullen also caught up with Light Collective about their whirlwind trip to the Far East, that saw them visit Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Shanghai in just five days, all in the name of Women in Lighting (make sure you check out WIL in Lockdown, and it’s excellent playlist too!).
Until next time, I hope you’re all keeping well. Stay safe, and enjoy the issue!

Stay safe everyone!

Matt Waring
Editor
arc