Yellow, a color embodying light and happiness, has always inspired artists. Our exhibition is envisioned as a digital showcase where each creation becomes a gateway to the imagination, a journey through shades ranging from soft lemon yellow to rich, intense gold, blending with other hues. The selected works will invite reflection on the dynamics of emotion and movement, to grasp the balance and harmony that only yellow can evoke.
Black and White Exhibition
Black and white monochrome art has been used since the Middle Ages, and can be traced back to the Cistercian Monastic order. In 1134 the head of the order, Bernard of Clairvaux created a legal document on aesthetics, stipulating that all decoration in his Cistercian monasteries could only be in black and white. His belief was that colour was superfluous and could lead to the over-stimulation of senses. His monasteries were a space for prayer and meditation, so all their stained glass and illuminated manuscripts were painted in monochrome. Artists equally embraced the elimination of colour as it gave them the freedom to concentrate on light and shadows, with a particular focus on how light and shadow fall on objects, or on the scene being painted.
The wide range of possibilities of interpretation of monochrome paintings, and the emphasis on feeling is probably one of the reasons for its popularity with artists - monochromatic artworks can provoke deeply personal experiences and strong emotions. A reduction in the palette means an artist can draw the viewer’s attention to a particular subject, concept or technique. Moreover, painting in black and white gives more artistic freedom, as artists no longer have the complexities of working in colour. Therefore, artists can concentrate on form, textures, mark making and symbolic meaning. Black and white can also be used to maximise impact with the stark contrast between black and white emphasizing the message and depictions.
Black and white is often used to represent opposites, for example, white represent light, whereas black represents darkness. Furthermore, white can symbolise goodness, peace, innocence and purity. Whereas, black can symbolise evil, war, or even death. Additionally, black could be used as a means of concealment to create a sense of mystery, intrigue or foreboding. Although black and white are opposites, they do not always have to signify difference, and can exist together in harmony.
Black and white art has played a significant role in modern and contemporary art, and it continues to influence contemporary art today. Often, we see an increase in popularity of monochromatic painting at times when there are aesthetic and socio-political upheavals.
Curated by Sonja Seear @sonja_martin_photography and
Lea Friant @dottedleaf
GALLERYONE962 team
The color purple, one with immense power and a tendency for greatness, started as a privilege for ancient monarchies and made its way through time as an exceptionally unique color only the bravest dared to conquer. Purple made waves during the impressionist period, as Claude Monet became so obsessed with it, he and other fellow impressionists were accused of contracting something called violettomania. They were particularly drawn to the color since it conveys a sense of calmness, introspection and mystery but its connotations extend to the ideas of melancholy and sorrow, as it comes closer to blue. Purple has also been associated with the future because it strikes as original and innovative, reminding us of a cyberpunk genre, the closer it gets to red the more it irradiates fantasy, playfulness and joy. We must give credit where credit is due to the pop art king Andy Warhol, for his visionary use of neon purple hue´s which made purple popular again and created a viral outburst of people contracting violettomania in this modern era. So, tell us, do you also suffer from violettomania?
Art Curator Lea Friant