Color: Counter-current reflections and appropriation through practice

Professor: Hélène Picard

Color/CHROMA

Chroma is the title of the book written by Derek Jarman about color, in the last months of his life, when he was losing his sight. It is a kind of autobiography through color, where chromatic impressions, societal reflections, quotations and childhood memories are mixed. Jarman can no longer see colors. But he can tell them, they are in his mind, his body and in his emotions. He thus exposes one of the most powerful aspects of color: its sensory and emotional impact. It is from this premise that we will, through various practices (vegetable dyeing, painting, colored drawing) and daily experiences (clothing, food) explore the physical and subjective capacities of color. We will also see how different codes, economic and social issues are intertwined with its perception. The course will be articulated between observations, theoretical and technical learning, and experimental research. The first step will be to analyze the relationship that each person has with colors, through the elaboration of a chromatic diary. This intimate repertory of color will be used during the second semester as a support for the realization of a personal project.