As the current Gregorian calendar comes to an end, while other socio-cultural timelines continue in parallel with their own cycles (Panchang, Hijri, Ethiopian, and Chinese, to name a few), retrospection is widely setting in. Surrounded by ‘wrapped’ and ‘round-ups’, we take a moment to reflect upon the stretch between the verb and the noun of affect that our year-long endeavours have potentially had. Is the end perhaps only a pause that (i) affects ways of moving on, or (ii) instigates stillness relished with little affect?

In many ways, STIRfri, launched earlier this year, carries your affects. Our many conversations & collaborations, spontaneous or structured, have enriched and expanded the glossary of creative values we engage with week on week; informing not just our collective vocabulary but also (and hopefully) our philosophy.

For our last issue of 2023, we bring you a little bit of whimsy, some hard truths, and most importantly, hope. Jean Jullien's 'RIFIFI' takes us into a whimsical dive that pulls children—young and old—into an immersive underwater universe. The rhetoric of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial’s second edition structuralises an antithetical understanding of postcolonial remnants, and we reflect on the temptation to opt for quick wins and neglect the big picture through the Design for Planet Festival '23 talks.

Now, as STIRfri pauses until January 2024, we are keen to listen as you consider the affect of your words and actions, thoughts and feelings, talents and capacities that could stir up our collective discourse in the year to be.

Warmest Wishes!