Courtesy Pantone

For its 2023 Color of the Year, Pantone has chosen Viva Magenta (PANTONE 18-1750), a nuanced crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool. The pulsating color is said to promote optimism and joy and encourage experimentation and self-expression without restraint.

“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,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, it galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

To showcase how the hue straddles the physical and virtual worlds, Pantone worked with its creative partner Huge and AI generative tool Midjourney to create a “Magentaverse.” The visual manifestation of Viva Magenta is an immersive world that examines the connections between nature and technology.

Building on the idea, Pantone and Huge collaborated with ARTECHOUSE, a leader in innovative, technology-driven experiential art, which through its creative studio designed a custom immersive experience that allows the public to explore “the Magentaverse” firsthand. The exhibition features immersive rooms with textures and interactions that plunge attendees into an array of visual, auditory, and tactile experiences—all in the spirit of Viva Magenta.

“The last few years were transformative in many ways in terms of people’s sense of self, and the way well-being, priorities, and identity are being thought about,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute. “As a result, space has been created where we are free to explore and be accepted for exactly who we feel we are, whether it be in a cybernetic universe, a conventional space, or a magical blend of both. We are creating a dynamic world that encourages experimentation, one that leverages the virtual within the physical realm and emboldens our strength and spirit to explore groundbreaking possibilities.”