Borrowed light: Insights from a coloursmith
“Man needs colour to live; it's just as necessary an element as fire and water.” Fernand Leger 1881–1955
Colour, and the concept of colour, can be approached from different perspectives and disciplines, from the natural sciences to colour theories, technology, philosophy, medicine, psychology and art. What remains unquestionable is the impact of colour on our state of mind.
The first known theory of colour belongs to Aristotle, who devised a linear sequence of colours that can be observed during the course of a day: the white light of noon becomes tinged with yellow and changes gradually to orange, then red as the sun sets, followed by purple, dark blue and eventually black at night-time.
As the changing colours of day so eloquently demonstrate, colour is not the property of objects, spaces or surfaces. Colour is the sensation caused by certain qualities of light that the eye recognizes and the brain interprets. Light and colour are, therefore, inseparable.
But, for most of us, colour is a visual experience; much like music, it takes a shortcut to our senses. Colour is, I believe, of the eye and of the heart.
One of the most important ingredients in shaping a space is colour. It adds complexity and enriches our experience of place. It defines the space, indicates function, suggests temperature, influences mood and projects personality. Colour interacts with light and all the other elements in the room to create atmosphere.
Colour, and our understanding of it, goes well beyond what is currently in fashion. There is no wrong colour. Whatever colour you love is what is right.
Colour has inspired great thinkers throughout the ages, in disciplines from philosophy and psychology to science and art. Here, Rachel Lacy, Chief Coloursmith at Taubmans Australia, offers a lyrical reflection on living life in vivid colour.