If we’ve been featuring a greater than average number of calendars here these past couple of weeks (and we have), it’s because we’ve found ourselves with a greater sensitivity to the passage of time, and the way we choose to mark that time. (Rest assured that the midlife crisis has already been penciled in…) This year we’ve seen some novel approaches, but the Graphis-award-winning Past & Future calendar from Portuguese design studio BITRI really intrigued us.
Philosophically, of course, there’s something very profound about its setup: a wooden box with two drawers – the left for days past, the right for today and the rest of the month. Moving the day from one drawer to the next is an action that forces you to face what you have (and have not) accomplished each day.
More interestingly from a creative standpoint, however, is the creation of something that feels truly substantial in this category – not just another throwaway calendar. (After all, no matter how lovely the paper, no matter how great the art, nearly every calendar feels like a friend who’s overstayed their welcome come the new year.)
This simple design also lends itself to other, equally important uses. A To Do list, for example. (Or if you’re a secret agent, this makes a lovely place to retire old driver’s licenses every time your cover is blown.)
There is a kernel of true inspiration here, and really, shouldn’t every calendar leave you with a taste of that?
