So I am intrigued. What is it about the color blue that makes it so loved and admired? I've been noticing on the blog and FB that everytime I post something blue it gets more likes and comments; and every time I see something blue I'm more inclined to "Like" it. What is it's magic? The frequency of the wavelength; the association with heaven, peace, calm.? Here is a work of a friend, Martin Scholte [link here] who works with a minimalistic approach, where the power of the work defies it's apparent simplicity.
International Klein Blue (or IKB as it is known in art circles) was developed by French artist Yves Klein as part of his search for colors which best represented the concepts he wished to convey as an artist. [He was fascinated by mystical ideas, by notions of the infinite, the undefinable, the absolute.] He patented this color in 1960. IKB was developed by Klein and chemists to have the same color brightness and intensity as dry pigments, which it achieves by suspending dry pigment in polyvinyl acetate, a synthetic resin.
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| Yves Klien |
In 2008, the artist Roger Hiorns filled an abandoned waterproofed council flat in London with 75,000 liters of copper sulfate solution. The solution was left to crystallize for several weeks before the flat was drained, leaving crystal-covered walls, floors and ceilings. The work is titled Seizure. He went on to win the Turner prize that year.
Copper sulfate is also used to test blood for anemia; it is is also used to etch zinc plates for intaglio printmaking.
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| Copper Sulphate |
Maybe our love affair with blue is as easy to understand as our love for the blue skies of day light and the deep blue of a starlit night. Bayer's
Uranometria, is one of the most important celestial atlases of the 17th Century.
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| Johann Bayer: [ Pegasus ] |
On Wednesday night, at dusk, the light on the pond was a soft, deep, immense blue; which started this conversation in my head.
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| The pond at dusk |
And the next day I found this. About to put it in the garbage, I looked and saw, Rothko meets Diebenkorn. It's now on my wall.
I remember an astonishing experience: standing in front of an Anish Kapoor stainless steel hemisphere, the open hollow vertically facing me. It was lined with blue pigment, and when I stood close enough that it occupied all my peripheral vision, I felt that I was falling, falling, forever, forever, .... That experience did not feel so overwhelming with other coloured pigments. I was lost in the blue velvet - but not in a negative way.
ReplyDeleteSound wonderful Olga, I've had similar experiences swimming in the ocean, and the quality of velvet also stayed in my mind. I loved it. Thanks for bringing back such a great memory.
DeleteDo you think it has something to do with blue being the color of sky and water? Two infinite things which can fascinate so that all else seems insignificant? For me, it's shades of blue rather than the whole spectrum of blue. A nearby coffee shop has the deepest, most electric blue velvet curtains hanging by a hallway. The color captures my attention when I'm there. I've tried to photograph it, but just can't do the color justice. One day maybe...
ReplyDeleteI would suspect you are right Jennifer, one of my favourite views is ocean meeting sky. Maybe something about boundlessness..infinity. Always loved what the astronauts said when looking back at earth from space, that it's a blue planet.
DeleteOh! I meant to say how thrilled I am that you saved the Rothko meets Diebenkorn piece. One of yours, I assume. Way too good to consign to the garbage.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer, a file folder that had seen better days, couldn't believe the colors the exposure to sun had made.
DeleteSeeing Hiorns' "Seizure" was quite an experience. Thanks for those facts about copper sulfate!
ReplyDeleteWow, how wonderful that you saw it Margaret, very envious. One question I have always had ....did it smell....badly? Isn't copper sulphate beautiful, makes me go ahhhhh, and breathe.
DeleteSuch an interesting post Liz -thanks for sharing 'blue' thoughts
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie, I never know where my wandering mind will take me.
DeleteNice post. I'm also intrigued by blue and recently I've made some posts about it.Maybe you're interested.
ReplyDeletehttp://ericadamajournal.blogspot.nl/search?updated-max=2012-10-12T00:59:00%2B02:00&max-results=20#.UMS3weT8JxP , http://ericadamajournal.blogspot.nl/search?updated-max=2012-08-21T12:09:00%2B02:00&max-results=20&start=17&by-date=false#.UMS4VeT8JxM and http://ericadamajournal.blogspot.nl/2012/12/blueblueblue.html#.UMS4seT8JxM
Thanks Eric for the links, and will be over ASAP. I've been very spotty in looking at friends blogs as the year has been such a chaotic one. Think we are returning to a new balance.
Deletewhat a great conversation to have started by your pond and then shared with us ........ love all the blues, especially Rothko meets Diebenkorn. Have no idea who the latter is but adore Rothko's work. Or some of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan, really glad you enjoyed it, and Diebencorn is an American artist, here is one of my favourites...if I can attach it called Ocean Park 54....hmmm can't seem to attach so you will need to google it. Sorry about that
DeleteIronically, while blue is said to be the worlds favorite color, I don't care for it. While orange, the worlds Least favorite color shows up in my work constantly. Give me a brown red, with some orange in it and I am a sucker every time:) People! We are all so different..🌻Laura
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised by which colors show up in my work, every series seems to demand a different palate and for the last few years, every November, I need to use charcoal only. We will see what happens when spring finally arrives.
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