Chromatic: Ten Meditations on Crisis in Art and Letters

Chromatic: Ten Meditations on Crisis in Art and Letters is a collection of essays and illustrations as diverse as the subject of crisis itself. Imagined and brought to life by the 2020 Wall Scholars during their time at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies at UBC, Chromatic asks what it means to be in crisis and grapples with the personal and societal impacts of crisis during a time of unprecedented global upheaval. The result is a book that juxtaposes gorgeous, colourful illustrations with writing that will surprise and challenge you, outrage, and enlighten you. From a precise discussion of a nuclear crisis in Japan, to a satirical listicle about corporate academia, to an ICU doctors poetic response to COVID-19, each contributor to this diverse collection takes a profoundly different approach to writing about crisis, yet fascinating and unexpected connections emerge.