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In the search for expression, artists have used the color blue to articulate their concepts since the earliest artistic endeavor. The Ancient Egyptians used lapis lazuli, a rare blue stone, in their bas-reliefs and sculptures to denote the heavens and signify divinity. Later, the Romans employed blue pigments to decorate their architecture and declare infinite strength. In the twentieth century, Picasso worked in hues of blue, imbuing all his Blue period paintings with a melancholy that points to his somber psychological state. Artists spanning the centuries have utilized the color blue to elicit particular emotions and philosophies that though diverse - and at times contradictory - are always compelling. The ubiquitous choice to work in this color hints at the myriad of possibilities it presents. Blue is said to have a calming effect, bringing up thoughts of the sea or the sky; some interiors are designed in blue to promote peaceful living. Blue is also thought to provoke memories and evince the deepest desires of people. Deep blues, like that in the background of Damien Hirsts's Butterflies, plunges the viewer into a visual and psychological chasm, leaving room for a quiet consideration of the work and of the psyche. Andy Warhol's use of true blue in his Superman heightens the primary colors of Superman's logo and the yellow frame it sits in; simultaneously bringing forth memories of a simpler childhood. However, this reflection is turned on its ear by Warhol's undermining touch. In Chun Kwang Young's aggregation, blue functions as a respite from the swirling chaos of his 'mindscape': a pool of timeless reflection in a tumult of mulberry paper crags and crevices.
Undoubtedly, blue is a very powerful color with a rich symbolic and full ideological history. It can transport us to the past, pull us to the future, plunge us into the present and take us out of time and space into an infinite abyss. In the hands of artists it becomes a language unto itself, capable of eliciting emotions, producing thoughts and provoking questions. The evolution of this iconic color is an enchanting story; The Columns Gallery invites you to experience 'Art in Blue Blue in Art.'
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