The Ignite Series is a monthly exploration of the ways we are connected to the world around us, inspired by our work at Keap.

The Lens of Art

For the last four years, one of the ways we have explored this is through artwork included inside of our subscriber shipments across various mediums. We have worked to create a body of art that echoes our monthly scent and enriches its story for our subscribers.

For 2020, we have been inspired by the photogram — a form of photographic image created by placing objects directly onto light-sensitive mediums and then exposing them to light. This was one of the earliest forms of photography, used by botanists and plant enthusiasts 175 years ago to record the intricate details of specimens found in the field.

Though a human technique, photograms truly expand the appreciation of nature as art. Subtle patterns in plant leaves and bird feathers are exposed by the conversion of form to light.

For our art series this year, we are working with London-based designers Gunter Piekarski to create photogramic patterns that inspire us to look more closely at some of the ideas and themes in our scent concepts.

See how the series unfolded in imagery below:

The Lens of Story

Each month for the last four years, we have also explored the form of story inspired by facets of our Seasonal Scents. For Ignite 2020, we are “seeing things in a new light” — fitting for a new decade — and opening our eyes to the broader ecosystems our scents occupy.

Our January artwork takes text from the cover of the book Kosmos by Alexander von Humboldt — one of the first scientists to literally map out the interconnected nature of the world around us and the impact we all have on our environment.

Inspired by this multitalented scholar, this month’s Ignite story contemplates holistic philosophies that urge us to develop an understanding and deep appreciation for the world as a system of interconnected wholes.

See the January Ignite Story here.

Thanks and Happy New Year,

— The Keap Team