Close Enough to be Friends (updated 1 December 2001)

This postcard CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE FRIENDS origins from May 1984, when a so-called Peters-projection world map in an UNESCO calendar crossed my desk. By redrawing it, i happened to change unintentionally the continents, so the Pacific Ocean was this time in the middle of the world. First thoughts about a headline were: Attention, Danger! (Remember, in 1984 the Cold War was a daily reality.) But by insight i knew that positive statements are more promising. Then, little by little, the text 'Close enough to be Friends' was devised. One year later, in Amsterdam, a 'Spirit of Peace' conference took place. I followed a lecture and workshop by Elisabeth Stern which was on the topic of how new ideas come into the world. She told about the initiative 'Beyond War' and similar groups. This was familiar to my way of thinking. At home i browsed through my files and found a sketch of what later became the postcard shown above. (The hands across the Bering Strait were added two weeks later.) During this same conference, back in May '85, i shared the name PLANETWORK with the participants. It was my short version for a project 'Planetary Artists Network for the World we Choose' emerging (but not coming into existence) in Spring 1983 from a 1981-83 grassroots movement 'Planetary Initiative for the World we Choose'.

Sidemarks: By consulting the original Mercator maps of the 1600's AD in the Amsterdam University Library, i spotted the inscription: Mare Pacificum (the Peaceable Sea) - a perfect historical match!
Another interesting observation is that Mercator as the foremost chart maker for the world(seas) emphasized Europe and placed it in the centre. Although the Peters projection map is not exact either, it represents much closer the actual dimensions. R. Buckminster Fuller attempted the goal with his Dimaxion maps. Many other ways to project the Earth's shape in a two-dimensional plane were made. Normally the designer's or customer's country was put in the middle (people from China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand etc. and the USA Westcoast will love my postcard...).
Interestingly enough, very promising future nations (plus India) are gathered around this Peaceable Sea.
Korean, Indonesian, Taiwanese, Chinese, Indian wo/manpower, plus Silicon Valley brain energy spreads to every corner of the world. Colonization new style?

The above design has a striking similarity to a world-famous painting (although i became aware of this only later). Guess which?

---> Show me the Solution

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The design shown as a postcard at the top of this page is perfect for printing on t-shirts, jackets, and other items. Are you inspired to help realize this?
(Please respect my copyright: 1985 © by Freed Schmitter)

A word about COPYRIGHT: Yes, i am aware of the Divine source of ideas. Still - focussing on insights and taking responsibility let volatile thoughts materialise and become a creative reality, in whatever limited form.

To consciously credit oneself for the creative work of someone else brings disorder and pain, and hinders a possible evolution of the initial creation / creator.

The content of this site is credited wherever i could find the original source, several logos point to the probable origin by a link. Some small pictures or animations come from public freeware or from software libraries for non-commercial use. If you see a missing notice, please inform me.

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The Planetwork.org braincoral logo (originating from Ernst Haeckel's marvellous plates in 'Art Forms in Nature' that he published a hundred years ago in 1899 - 1904!) is available as a postcard. Superb full color print on ca.250 gr heavy stock, laminated front, backside with small black text:
New symbols for a new Millennium. Welcome at: www.planetwork.org.

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