In 1704 English natural philosopher Isaac Newton published his book Opticks in which he focused on the theory of colours and the allied concept of the heterogeneity of light. Experimenting with a prism, Newton split the apparently pure white light into primary colours each with a different refractive index.
A century later, in 1810, the poet, novelist and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe compiled a twenty-year study on the effects of colour on the human eye. Goethe investigated and recorded the function of the eye and its interpretation of colours in his Zur Farbenlehre (Theory of Colours), arguing that colours appeal to the senses.
Fascinated by the theme of colours, Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto started exploring the possibilities that colour refraction could offer him.
For roughly ten years he took pictures of the early morning light refracting on a clear prism and reflecting on the walls of his studio.
Doubting about the validity of Newton's seven-colour spectrum, Sugimoto tried to capture what he called “intra-colours”, those namless shades that pass in between red and orange or yellow and green, with the help of a mirror with a special micro-adjusting tilting mechanism.
Projecting the coloured beam from the prism onto the mirror, he reflected it into a dim observation chambre where he reduced it to Polaroid colours capturing unusual bands and perceiving non-existent colours.
Through this project suspended between art and science, Sugimoto found himself immersed in a sea of countless shades.
Together with Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Sugimoto selected 20 Polaroids to be transposed onto silk twill using inkject technology. Hermès actually already collaborated with Sugimoto in 2003 for the exhibition "History of History" in the Forum space of the Maison Hermès in Ginza, Tokyo.
The resulting 20 scarves, each in a limited edition of 7, each measuring 140 x 140 cm, are currently on display at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI).
Emi Eu, STPI Director, told Irenebrination "Hermès and STPI enjoy an ongoing working relationship to engage audiences here with the most exciting developments in contemporary art, through Third Floor-Hermès' gallery in Singapore and exhibitions of Hermès Editeur at STPI. Hermès first 'carré d'artiste', 'Hommage au carré' by modern art pioneer Josef Albers presented here in 2008, and the current exhibition of the third edition 'Couleurs de L'Ombre' by Hiroshi Sugimoto, represent our continual efforts to build bridges between artisans and artists and enrich audience experience with visual arts."
Caveat spectator, though, as Sugimoto is a master in deception. His 'Theatres' series in which he photographed films screened inside old American movie palaces featured a luminescent blank screen; his 'Architecture' images present out-of-focus and blurred pictures of buildings while his images of the great outdoors are actually pictures of dioramas in a natural history museum. So what you get on the scarves is not just the light filtered through a prism, a mirror and a camera, but a wide range of colours altered also through the digital printing processes on silk.
While the distortions produced are quite beautiful, you naturally wonder if, by playing with the visual deception, optical illusions and susceptibiliy of the eye themes, rather than just exploring the power of colours Sugimoto is actually hinting at the subtly deceptive world of fashion. As the limited edition scarves are sold at 7,000 euros each on the Hermès Editeur site, the doubt remains.
Couleurs de L'Ombre by Hiroshi Sugimoto is at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute, 41 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238236, until 2nd March 2013
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