Richard McGuire’s latest New Yorker cover captures an increasingly familiar scene for those of us who live and work on our computers. The artist recently talked to us about his favorite vacations, life in quarantine, and how design can further public health.
What’s the best vacation you’ve ever taken?
It’s hard to say! I went to Antigua once—it was perfect, like I was suspended outside of reality. I spent a few weeks travelling around Italy, another trip that’s high on my list. I went to Venice and Rome for the first time; I visited Giotto’s chapel, in Padua. And the first time I went to Japan was wonderful. There’s so much that I love about their culture: the food, the design, the philosophy. I stayed in a traditional ryokan, in Tokyo, and the night I arrived I ended up going to an art opening, a dinner, and an after-party. Along the way, I lost my wallet. Everyone kept telling me not to worry, that it would go to some sort of central lost-and-found department. I thought they were just humoring me. To my surprise, I got it back, with my money and credit cards intact! It still amazes me.
So much of daily life now is virtual. Do you spend much time on your computer, or do you prioritize non-digital approaches—painting instead of Photoshop, for example, or newspapers instead of scrolling?
I enjoy painting and making things in the real world. The computer is just another tool. As for online time, I try to limit it, but it’s been hard to resist these days. I’ve been posting more on Instagram, and, like everyone, I’ve been having get-togethers on FaceTime and Zoom.
I did recently get a sneak peek of the virtual-reality version of my book “Here.” It’s being made with a technology called volumetric capture, in which actors’ performances are captured in 3-D and then placed into virtual backgrounds. It’s quite amazing, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it will develop.
You were part of a group of designers who made P.S.A. posters about the coronavirus pandemic in April. Do you believe that good design can help instill good habits?
I was happy to be asked to participate. I made two versions of a poster, one with text and one without, and I think I prefer the pure image. It was posted on screens around New York City, in all five boroughs, and in Chicago and Boston, as well. But I think messaging always helps to create change. We are constantly taking in information. Even if we are taking it in subliminally, it helps.
For more vacation-themed covers, see below:
