Assignment 5: Colour

In my opinion, the experience and experimentation of artists has influenced our understanding of colour. A theory of ‘colour vision’ gives us an understanding on when we can use some colours to communicate the idea, to share some idea.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter whose work had a far-reaching influence on 20^th century art for its vivid colours and emotional impact.

The colour of Van Gogh’s painting had strong contrast. “Black, said Cassagne, was the most fundamental colour in nature, entering into all three primaries to form an infinite variety of greys, those greys which were an important feature of van Gogh’s palette in Holland and with which he was still seeking to come to terms in Arles”(Gage,1993 p.205) But it has an emotional impact. Kandinsky (1914) stated that “But to a more sensitive soul the effect of colours is deeper and intensely moving...Psychological effect produce a correspondent spiritual vibration, and it is only as a step towards this spiritual vibration that they physical impression is of importance.”

Artists use the light, shadows and different emotion inside their mind to influenced our understanding of colour. I think Van Gogh is a great example to prove that.


Reference:

Gage, J. (1993). Colours of the Mind in Colour and Culture: Practice and Meaning from Antiquity to Abstraction (pp.191-212). New York: Thames and Hudson.

Kandinsky, W. (1914) Concerning the Spiritual in Art in P. Alperson, The Philosophy of the Visual Arts (1992, pp.129-145). New York, Oxford University Press.

Assignment 4

Adolf Loos argued in 1908 that ‘The evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornament from objects of daily use.’ I agree with his view.

As we know, a great response to urbanization, industrialization and immigration, as it had never quite happened before. However, like he said ‘Ornament is wasted manpower and therefore wasted health. It has always been like this. But today it also means wasted material... ’ He thought as ornament need to be related to our culture, is necessarily always true to its purpose. But during his period it has no potential for development. It is not only remains the art of construction, it should go back to the basics, to construct it well. He repudiated the florid style of the Vienna Secession, the Austrian version of Art Nouveau.

The image I use is The House of Michaeleplatz ("Looshaus") is Loo's most famous building, one of the most modern office buildings in Vienna, the steel concrete construction provides wide structural spans with flexible space use. Because of the lack of ornaments, peole called it the 'house without eyebrows'. 



The image receive from: http://alin87111.blog.163.com/blog/static/64524522007429105328238/