To conclude my time at STUDIO &lotte I could choose an exhibition that Lotte and I would visit together. I chose Breathing Colour by Hella Jongerius at Museum Boijmans in Beuningen. Why? Because I think I can still learn a lot about the use of colour. What kind of influence does colour have in a space or on a shape? How do you make a room more interesting or surprising by using colour? What is the influence of colour on light or does light influence colour? Breathing Colour is an informative exhibit that 'tickles the eyes of the viewers', exploring how colour behaves and is affected by shapes, texture and light. Very exciting!

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Colour Catchers

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The exhibition Breathing Colour consists of different installations that deepen our understanding of colour and form. A series of specially designed objects called ‘Colour Catchers’ demonstrate how the experience of colour and form is affected by changing daylight throughout the morning, afternoon and evening. The ‘Colour Catchers’ are made of paper, have different colours and are displayed on even more colours. They are designed as the ultimate shape to research colour, shadows and reflections. Jongerius describes them as ‘her canvases’. The folding acts as a shift between two different colours; it turns the form from an object into a generator of new colour tones.

 

A strong opinion

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I found it striking to see how passionate Jongerius is about her subject. For me, the exhibition almost serves as proof for her strong opinion against the flat colours of the colour industry. She adds a human touch to the industrial production of colour.

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She says: “With this exhibition, we hope to build up an archive, create a tool for interpreting, tickle the eyes of the viewer, let the viewer see the breath of a colour, show a broader perceptive behind the industrial pallet, show how powerful a colour can be in taking over a shape, or even transform a shape and show all options that lie in the grammar of colour, as an ongoing toolbox.”

 

My experience

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Time for a review and to talk about my experience! Have my questions been answered and have I expanded my knowledge about colour by visiting Breathing Colour? Yes of course! Maybe you already noticed while reading this article, but I'm very enthusiastic about this exhibition.

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I must say that this is not an easy exhibition. You really have to stand still and look. Let your eyes adjust to the colours, shadows and the light. Because the changes are subtle. Small changes in shadows, in light and therefore change of colour. Because yes, light influences colour. Colour is actually very relative and is more influenced by its surroundings than by the colour itself. Sometimes it looks like a optical illusion. In the evening scene the colours are rich and powerful, while those in the morning section are bright and delicate.

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It would have been interesting to see the effects of different light on the same materials. Then you might have been able to compare better. For example, the same blue tone came back in both rooms. In the morning section the colour was already very bright, but in the evening scene it almost seemed to radiate from the shape, so vibrant.

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Breathing Colour is educational and inspiring. After seeing this exhibition I started to look differently at colours in the world. Everywhere you see shadows, subtle colour changes and colours in places where I have never seen them before.

 

Back to reality!

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Wondering how STUDIO &lotte uses colours? The project ‘De Kantoortuin’ is a great example. On the picture above, you see that the wall and the ceiling are divided in two different shades of green. While the lightest green tone almost looks like white, it really isn’t. By choosing a very light green and not a white tone, it makes the room calm, but not boring.