Review: Color: Man and Nature

Reviewed Work(s): Interaction of Color by Josef Albers; Search for the Real by Hans
Hofmann
Review by: Rita Deanin Abbey
Source: Art Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Autumn, 1971), pp. 110+112
Published by: CAA
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/775651
Accessed: 19-03-2020 14:20 UTC

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more,
more,Owings
OwingsandandMerrill,
Merrill,
among
among
others.
others.outstanding
outstanding structures
structuresworthy
worthyofofconsider- bronze,
bronze,gilded
consider- gilded metal,
metal,
aluminum
aluminumporcelain,
porcelain
Even
Even the theearly
earlyplanning
planning forfor
Canberra,
Canberra,ation
ation and
and omitted
omittedhitherto,
hitherto,presumably,
presumably, concrete,
concrete, allall
withwithsteelsteel
skeletons,
skeletons,
are help-
are help
Australia,
Australia,by byWalter
WalterBurley
BurleyGriffin
Griffin
in in because
because they
they did
didnot
notfit
fitthe
thepigeonholes.
pigeonholes. ing
ingto tooffset
offset thethe
rectangularity,
rectangularity,especially
especiall
1911
1911 isiscited,
cited,Griffin
Griffinbeing
being
a former assis-assis- Vincent
a former Vincent Scully
Scully in
inhis
hisessay, "Americanwhen
essay,"American whenset set ininlandscaped
landscaped areas.areas.
Paul Ru-Paul Ru-
tant of-you guessed it-Frank Lloyd Houses:
Houses: Thomas
ThomasJefferson
JeffersontotoFrank
FrankLloyd
Lloyddolph
dolphmay may be be
right
right
when when
he says
he nosays
poemno poem
Wright. Wright" does a beautiful job of citing was
wasevereverwritten
written to atoflat-topped
a flat-topped
building,
building
Albert Fein in "The American City: and interpreting, though there is not but butheight,
height, horizontality,
horizontality, sheerness,
sheerness,
rough- rough
the Ideal and the Real" stresses the social much that is new for a reader of the vol- ness,
ness,mass,
mass, surface
surface givegive
a richa pattern
rich pattern
for fo
and institutional ideal-parks, parkways, ume already examined. Of particularperceptive perceptive
in- reactions.
reactions. And,And,
to arrivals
to arrivals
by by
and institutions devoted to the studyterest of may be the brief on Californiahelicopter,
ar-
helicopter, thethe
flatflat
roofsroofs
may may
have ahave
certain
a certai
history, science, and art "as characteristic chitects of the close of the period covered appeal.
appeal.Bridges
Bridges andandmany-levelled
many-levelled and and
of the Nineteenth Century America." by the Exhibit. For example, Bernard many-foiled
many-foiled roadways
roadways arouse
arouse
anotheranother
set of set o
Transcendentalism is named as a dynamic Maybeck, of the Bay area "really exer- responses,
responses, motion
motion perhaps
perhaps
the dominant
the dominan
force, and New England Commons arecised re- the individual and captious freedom one,
one,withwith time
time andand
spacespace
connoted-and,
connoted-and,
called as answers to the search for useful of thought, behavior, and choice thatfinally, finally,
has allall
thethecurved
curvedand globular
and globular
forms form
space. Gramercy Park, Central Park, and been more honored in American protesta- of dome and vault and stilted arcade and
Union Square, all in New York City, the tions than in American practice. . . .stratified His polygons with their stimulus to
Erie Canal, the City plan of Savannah, works leaped from theme to theme-Chi- the sense of touch when looked at and to
Georgia, are further examples on the nese, Baroque, or Gothic-and they the dis-sense of emptiness when invaded. It
ideal side, and Olmsted, Calvert Vaux tilled out of Maybeck's master, Viollet-le- may be worthy of remark that, to a
and Downing are named as leaders (even Duc, much the same kind of inspired greater fan- or lesser degree, all these kinds of
American cemeteries are listed for remem- tasy that his similarly trained contempo- experience may be had when looking at
brance). Parks and Parkways are seen rary, Antonio Gaudi, was producing an in
Ionic colonnade, or, presumably, when
spreading across the country, as the civic Catalonia. . . . From the American nine- flying in outer space. To consider the
replaces the agricultural. The real ap-teenth century past, and then not in
aesthetic aspect of contemporary Ameri-
pears as a kind of afterthought, with ahouse architecture, only Frank Furness, can Architecture, and to report it as
picture of "Dens of Death," Mulberrysimilarly inspired though much tougher, meaningful, is merely to say that the
Bend, New York City of about 1872, can at be recalled in related terms." whole man is being located in a whole set-
the start of the essay, and Mulberry Bend, Whether one agrees or not, Scully ting-"space looks
in place," as Suzanne Langer
about 1890-1899, at the end. Jacob Riis and tells the layman what to puts look it.for
A visit and to the Metropolitan Exhi-
and Joseph Lee are duly praised. Feinwhat he himself sees. bition gives one a start to a viable experi-
thinks a current decline of interest in the The Exhibition Handbook concludes ence and enduring visions.
park idea "merely mirrors" a larger and with comments, by Edgar Kaufman, on WILLIAM SENER RUSK
more tragic failure-that of an entire civi- nine, still standing, masterpieces, in the Aurora, New York
lization." fields of small farm houses, great build-
In a "New View of Skyscraper History," ings for commerce, and the American
Review-Essay
Winston Weisman attempts an "historical Park Tradition. It is to be hoped that
Color: Man and Nature
perspective." He thinks such a view re- they will long remain, to remind, inspire,
veals seven phases: a pre-skyscraper phase, and vitalize the American Scene. Josef Albers's Interaction of Colo
1849-1870; a second phase, starting withWalter A. Netsch, of the Skidmore, Ow- (Yale University Press, 1963) and Ha
the Equitable Life Assurance Building, ings, and Merrill firm, when speaking Hofmann's
at Search for the Real (MIT
New York City, with compositional fea- the opening of his Louis Jefferson Press, Long 1967), as well as more recent in-
tures of the first phase but also the neces- Library at Wells College, Aurora, New volvements of the kinetic aspects of light
sary ingredients of the early skyscraper; a where the site on a rising shore of a and color, suggest a possible unification of
York,
third phase, beginning about 1878, with lake is humanized with a "wild, tumbling the phenomenon of color and nature and
mansardic forms reappearing and free roof, a big tent," spoke of what he called, man. Communicating this, however, ne-
grouping of stories; a fourth phase, start- "the space between"-doing, being, diver- cessitates the idea of extracting color from
ing in the late 1880's, with the tripartite sity, including surprise, confrontation, form, which, while not a new idea, is per-
composition of a classical column; a fifth choice of freedom, serviceability, change, haps more necessary today than it has
phase, with a tower emphasis, isolated, echoing now technique and now program, ever been before.
mounted, and set-back; a sixth phase, and oc- finally, qualities of being one's own Albers stresses that every act which in-
casioned by zoning code regulations, thing, and the capability to intermingle. volves us with exposure to color relativity
about 1916; and a seventh phase, aboutHere the designer communicates to the and to its psychic effects unites man, art,
1930, with limited space, park-like setting,user of the form-design. So, what of the and nature. According to Albers, nowhere
and multiblock coverage. Rockefeller aesthetic impact of present day architec- is there a static measured wave length, a
Center is the obvious example of the lastture on the intelligent and sensitive lay- limitation, unless directly indicated as
phase. It will be noted that the pigeon-man (perhaps including the architect and such. His theory encourages tapping an
holes are those of distinctive design rather engineer?) If perception includes the overflowing quantity of unknown re-
than of structure. The essay closes with arange of experience from sense stimulus sources and rejecting superficial accessibil-
tentative selective list of key monuments.to conception, with all its connotations ities. Seeing is coupled with fantasy (Welt-
The value of such a schematization, save and awarenesses, what does the current anschauung) and imagination. Those
that of contact with a much wider rangearchitecture panorama offer? Prisms ofeffects which we perceive help us to define
of buildings than one might otherwise en- light and space, both outside and in, stim- ourselves. Albers thus extends the concept
counter, is, apparently, enjoyment, as of ulate
a all the senses, focused in this case in of experimental knowledge, and through
game. The danger inherent is suggested the eye, but, perhaps emphasizing almosttrial and error leads us into deception,
by the "supplementary list" provided inequally an appeal to a sense of weightless-carefully separating non-permanent (Al-
an Appendix, which includes many of theness. The textures and colors of glass, bers's "actual") from permanent

110

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(Albers's "factual") phenomenon. A color
colorcharacteristics
characteristicswhich belong
whichperma-
belong perma- What we construct to be our visual
study of such characteristics as quantity,nently
nently to to
particular
particular
substances
substances
(his "chemi-(his "chemi-
world should not depend upon the limi
recurrence, intensity, pronouncement, cal calcharacteristics").
characteristics"). All these
All parts
these
in partstionsin of any medium or upon our know
transparency, additive and subtractiveGoethe's
Goethe's analysis
analysis
facilitate
facilitate
communication
communication
physical selves. Deceptive phenomen
characteristics, stresses the heightening ofof
ofhis
hishigher
highertheoretical
theoretical
views, while con- whilehowever
views, con- transient, can be concretized in
perception and sensitivity by emphasizingtemporarily
temporarily divulging
divulging
detailed detailed
and inter- and inter-
tangible and real experience. Both surf
close observation and personal involve-esting
esting information
information on contrast,
on contrast,
surface surface
and deep color in two and three dimen
ment through factual experience. There isobjects,
objects,halos,
halos,
shadows,
shadows,
absorption,
absorption,
refrac- refrac-
sional areas of painting and sculpture,
conclusive evidence of this result for each tion,
tion,polarization,
polarization,and interference.
and interference.
The The
atmospheric color creating surface ten
person who produces his own phenome- results of Goethe's experimentation sions in nature, awaken us to life forces.
nal effects through color connectionbroaden and the relationship of color to phi- Categorical distinctions like painting and
relatedness. On the basis of this new expe- losophy, mathematics, and a multitude of sculpture fail to maintain a clearly de-
rience, color, once more, becomes interde- general associations. fined separation. They intermix to be-
pendent with form-since the color itself, Both Albers and Hoffmann, creatively come closer in meaning-as we do with
and its interaction spatially with other oriented toward Goethe's color theory, nature itself. That is, color awareness can
colors, creates its own iconographical com- present personalized experience which break down detachment and insensitivity
position, own form, own life force, can ownbe of major interest to those con- both in ourselves and in our relationship
meaning. cerned with the true function of color. to nature. As Albers and Hofmann indi-
Hofmann, using color as more of an Imagine a blind person, or yourselfcate, the aim should be to isolate color
emotional force than does Albers, refers with shut eyes, touching a painting. Itfrom form or other limitation only to
to the intrinsic "life" of color creating in-
would, perhaps, produce some feeling of make it possible to investigate its charac-
tervals or expanding and contractingtexture. But, in most cases, even accompa-teristics in relation to ourselves, to our vi-
forces ("push and pull"). This action nied by the most vivid verbal color de- sion, or as a phenomenon of nature. Such
of color determines the content of the scription, an abstract color field would beisolated study of color should next be
painting, and goes beyond it to a mysteri- difficult to reproduce unless subjectivereintegrated (accompanied by this
ous phenomenon or spiritual order: color it is imagery could be invoked. The broader experience and understanding)
the tension and movement of unseen above investigations of color theory indi-with form, which then conforms to our new
forces that become more real, more visible cate that we all experience color intensityunderstanding. The result is a sensitivity
to us. Hofmann's abstract conceptsand pas-
color relativity uniquely, for multiplewhich extends beyond our previous condi-
sionately transpose vibrant interrelation- physiological and psychological reasons. tioning to an enlivened spontaneous re-
ships into multiple meanings. This Thus, multi-even so-called "normal" color vi- sponse and a resulting intuitive remolding
plicity unites space, form, and color sioninto
is subjective. of our worlds and ourselves-which should
"plastic" creation. The visual and inner The inextricable union of color and be what education is all about! Color thus
experience in this realm of color partici-form in both painting and sculpture al- instrumental as a qualitative, sub
becomes
pation then enriches the world which ways makes their separation extremely jective experience tapping inner resource
comes to us. This experience is combined difficult. However, the process of isolating
and potentialities. In an age in which in-
with understanding, as one can feel color
and concepts does develop more aware-
creased human sensitivity has become such
sense what is connected with it. The re- ness of color sensitivity for students and need in all areas of human in-
an obvious
sulting deeper contact and hence deeper also helps them to relate color sensitivity
volvement, color sensitivity and awareness
content of our sensibilities make the mi- directly to their own lives. We are errone-
can constitute a major weapon against
raculous a reality. ously and archaically conditioned towards
forces of insensitivity and brutalization.
The groundwork for these basic philos- systems of color identification, as if to be-RITA DEANIN ABBEY
ophies of color by Albers and Hofmann, lieve some system of designation could University of Nevada, Las Vegas
both of whom were practicing artists and give us information about color signifi-
influential teachers, is rooted in the ear- cance. In addition, we are taught tradi-
lier color experiments and philosophy of tionally to color forms. Our conditioning
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Theory toward color is perhaps primarily directed Personal Periodical Review
of Colors. Goethe observes that color im- toward painting, but we should also re-
ages can be conjured up in total darkness member that, in sculpture, the surface A stack of art periodicals kept piling
or in dreams. He attributes this to causes manifestations, even without an applica- higher and higher, while I was in Europe
from within, and, after exhaustive investi- tion of color, are still alive throughand upon return last August, I managed
a play
gations, reaffirms total acceptance ofof lights and darks (as color) which
sub- thanks
pro- to the confinement, forced by an
jective color phenomenon. The direction duce depth, form, and object recognition. ailing back, to plough through the whole
of his theories is toward an aesthetic clari- A range of contrast and gradationlot. gives
At times it was like being locked in a
fication and an enriching of life experi- the form and space its meaning, so dentist's
that to waiting room, but the end result
ence. Goethe combated Newtonian theory create form without utilizing light leads or
me to recommend quite a few to
before he structured his subjective theory color associations, causes form to shrink readers who, like me, may have been away
of color harmony, freeing color theory spatially. Especially with painting, how- from their desks last summer. Also I'm
from a strict scientific description ever, and any sustained involvement applyingleft with an overbearing envy at the fi
suggesting instead a creative, experimen- traditional limited concepts produces firstquality of the other art periodicals-H.R.
tal approach. Goethe concludes withfrustration no and then the realization of
infallible formulae, only legitimate results. three more basic concepts: (1) that one The Art Bulletin is now printed in En
For Goethe, color involves (1) fleeting must release color from objects, (2) gland, that and its appearance, entirely on
physiological characteristics (or "belonging color creates space, expressionistically and stock, is vastly improved with clear
coated
to the eye" as he says); (2) passing charac- vitally, and (3) that one must conse- and sharp illustrations placed usually
teristics, as perceived in colorless media quently form with color instead of color- near the relevant text, and with firm,
(his "physical characteristics"); and (3)
ing form. well-balanced layouts. The contents re-

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