Woven wool plant dyed in weeds from downtown Reykjavik.
Yellow has been used in artworks for centuries. It brings to mind warmth, sunlight, happiness, but also represents power and wealth. Yellow is one of the most common colors in nature, from flowers and lichens to stones and earth pigments. Artist have been compelled to make work in this color for millennia, and it’s no wonder as to why. Yellow’s bright, cheery warmth draws the eye, and captivates us.
Yellow is a versatile color, evoking many different reactions from the viewer: whether a meditation on life as with Wolfgang Laib’s pollen square, or a shockingly lemon-colored fabric bathroom that leaves the viewer slightly unsettled. Gold and topaz artifacts convey power and strength, interacting with light to hold the eye. Mamma Andersson’s yellow room painting conveys a certain sense of comfort and homeyness. Yellow has the ability to shift and convey different meanings, depending on the setting and interactions with the viewer. This bright color will always be a striking aid to artists.
brittany baldwin 