What can an artist say when color is removed from their creative process? “Black & White,” a new juried group exhibition at Arts Bonita, explores precisely this question.
“We challenged artists to reduce their artwork to a monochromatic field,” curator Danielle Branchaud noted. “They were only allowed up to a 10 percent amount of color in each piece and, as a result, we have a really extraordinary and unique exhibition.”
By working in black-and-white, artists are able to focus a viewer’s attention on other aspects of their painting or sculpture — such as form, texture, mark-making and the symbolic or metaphorical meaning of the objects included in the composition. Danielle Branchaud believes monochromatic artworks also appeal to art lovers because of their aesthetic sensibilities and the risks it forces artists to take.
“It is very contemporary-looking. It is very clean usually,” Branchaud observes. “It challenges artists as well to venture outside of their comfort zone. So a lot of artists do have interest in experimenting …. And I know a few who did just that, and as a result … they came up with some really extraordinary artwork.”
“Black & White” is on display in the main gallery at the Arts Bonita Visual Arts Center on Old 41 Road through October 24.
THE BACKGROUND:
Artists throughout history have used black and white paintings to emphasize various contrasting ideals or realities.
Black and white abstract paintings are particularly popular. This is because they portray strong emotions that resonate with viewers.
One reason people are subconsciously drawn to black-and-white paintings is because the human eye can actually distinguish more shades of gray in a monochromatic image than shades of color in a polychromatic one.
One of the most famous monochromatic paintings in art history is Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica.” This painting depicts in black and white the death of humans and animals amidst the wanton destruction of the city of Guernica, Spain, which was reduced to rubble by the Condor Legion of German Luftwaffe together with the Italian Air Force in 1937. The absence of color highlights the destructive power of hatred and warfare, especially innocent victims who are often regarded as “collateral damage.”
Other famous black-and-white paintings include Vincent Van Gogh’s “Cart with Black Ox,” Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Morning Glory with Black” and “Horse Skull with White Rose 1931,” Victor Vasarely’s “Zebra," Franz Kline’s “Chief,” Jean-Auguste-Dominque Ingres’ “Odalisque in Grisaille” and Francisco Goya’s “Witches’ Sabbath (The Great He-Goat).”
To read more stories about the arts in Southwest Florida visit Tom Hall's website: SWFL Art in the News.