back I Ask I Kellerberrin Project I 2001

010_1 002_1
007_1 016_1
003_1 008_1
005_1 004_1
011_1 009_1
014_1 001
006_1 012_1
015_1  

Over the last 3 years the general direction of my work has been to make connections between late modernist painting, design and popular/ mass culture. The BYOG project has allowed for a commentary on the relationship between art and the everyday in the conception and production of objects. The common thread that links all the work in this project has been the use of four specific colours (dark blue, yellow, orange and olive green).

The Kellerberrin Project was based on a simple premise- to involve the local community in the making of the installation. Residents were invited to contribute objects of any shape, size and material. The limitation was that these objects were to be coloured one of four specific colours. Swatches of each colour were provided to schools, senior citizens and interested people. A few weeks later these offerings were collected, sorted into like colours and assembled onto the walls of the gallery. Like colours were grouped to show differences and reveal the characteristics of each colour, the orangeness of orange, for example. The installation was intended to be like making monochrome paintings, with the colour carried by the material that the assembled objects are made of. The colouring seems to have attracted certain types of objects. The yellow and orange displays have a predominately plastic, industrial, domestic quality, whilst the blue and green objects connect with the body- clothing, hats and bags.

Shown as a mass against a wall, and separated from their usefulness and normal places they become vehicles of colour. However, viewed in isolation one can imagine each object"s place in a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom or shed, and the use they might be put to. Objects from my collection are also displayed in the same space. The Ironing Boards1-8 apply a minimalist painting approach to a domestic form. This also connects with the formal beauty of designer consumer goods, such as the Orange Set. Drapery refers to the former use of the building.

I enjoyed the spontaniety and surprises offered by this project. I am indebted to the community of Kellerberin for providing most of the raw material for this work. In particular I would like to thank Mary Burns for her assistance in installing the show, and Donna Dransfield and Pauline Scott from IASKA for their efforts in collecting objects.

The components of the installation are:

  1. Orange Set (the artist's collection)
  2. BYOG Ironing Boards (the artist"s collection)
  3. Yellow Collection
  4. Blue/Green Collection
  5. Orange Collection
  6. Shelf BYOG Kellerberrin
  7. BYOG Drapery (the artist" collection)
This arrived by chance in my email today..

WHAT COLOUR DRIVES PRODUCT CHOICES?

Why are some people drawn to certain colours - and are more likely to purchase products reflecting those colours - as opposed to others? The answer lies in a number of influences affecting us at various stages in our lives including geography, culture, emotion, association, trends and even temperature. "Our upbringing, experiences and surroundings all play a part in determining what colours we are drawn to," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Generally, colour preferences are based on our own personal associations and/or experiences. People raised in the southwestern desert (of the USA) are likely to be drawn to the colours of that landscape - sandy beiges and earthy browns. Others might have an extreme aversion to purple because it reminds them of the medicine they were forced to swallow as children. Color preferences can also be influenced by the way a colour "speaks" to an individual and fills their emotional needs.

For example: when seeking a quieter, unencumbered and tranquil lifestyle, many people are innately drawn to softer or more neutral colours. Conversely, a preference for bright colours may indicate a need for more stimulation. Colour preferences can vacillate depending on life-stages and changing needs.

From the spring 2001 issue of PANTONE Access Color Ezine.