It is often said that blue is the color of truth. Writer and anthropologist George Ferguson notes that blue is what appears in the sky after the clouds (an allegory of deceit) are dispelled. We associate it with high heavens and fresh water. In our modern culture, it’s clean, steadfast, and trustworthy.
But that wasn’t always the case. No other color has undergone so many different perspectives and interpretations as blue. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans didn’t even have a name for it. Black and blue were practically indistinguishable from each other, both bastions of darkness, night horrors, and murky waters. In medieval German folklore, the devil was known as “the man in the blue cape”, while in Scandinavia it became the color of fruitfulness and plentiful crops brought on by Thor’s thunderstorms. In England, for poets Milton and Spencer, blue was the color of the flames of hell. In the sixteenth century, many British provinces banned indigo altogether on account of its negative connotations. The poet Keats wrote, “dry up your tears, do not look so blue”. Modern artists like Picasso and Yves Klein devoted entire eras to exploring its psychological traits.
Today, the artist adds a new layer of perception by inviting the audience to interact with this piece through touch.
Please take a moment to picture a scenario in which you have no concept of color, and blue is beyond your comprehension. Now touch the piece. Consider closing your eyes for a more focused sensation. Gently brush the surface with your fingertips. Move slowly, and pay attention to variations like smooth areas, rough patches, or subtle reliefs. Let your mind wander unrestricted. Remember to feel any and every hue of darkness or light.
Now, think of how you would describe the “essence” of the blue in front of you, without referring to its physical properties. Consider all emotions, sensations, and experiences that come to mind when you try to feel the piece instead of associating it to its cultural commonplaces. How would you convey the emotional complexity of your reaction without making associations to its visual connections? Would your perceptions be different if the piece were hot to the touch instead of cool? What if it were velvety versus rough? How does your sense of touch influence your sight and emotions?
Visually impaired people often have to rely on touch to create their concept of the world. How different would your daily experiences be if you relied only on information from your fingertips?
Image Description: Large abstract blue image with light hues and shades of blue panel on metal.
