Dutch Design Week 2016: Broken White

Eindhoven – Broken White explores the shift in perception and cultural connotations of colour in the digital age.

It investigates the impact of screen-based technologies on the physical manifestations of colour
Our changing relationship with nature is also shown to influence the chromatic spectrum

Curated by a team of prominent Dutch designers, the exhibition at the Van Abbe museum aims to classify contemporary and future approaches to colour, from outlining its role as a social activism tool to defining its presence in the virtual landscape.

The starting point for the show was to examine how the digital revolution has changed our perception of pigments. ‘For centuries we viewed colour in terms of light hitting an object and reflecting off it in varying degrees… But today’s ubiquitous screens are not light-reflecting objects. They are objects that radiate light themselves. The source of colour has changed, and with it, its appearance,’ explain the curators in a statement.

The pieces on show include RGB Funfair by Envisions, an installation that translates qualities of screen-based visuals into a physical context. Constructed from a variety of synthetic and reflective materials, the pieces take on the hue of continually changing light.

The Big Picture:

Creatives are using dichromatic effects and experimenting with light wave stimulation to find new definitions of colour, as outlined in our Euphorescence macro inspire. For more stories from Dutch Design Week, keep an eye on our Briefing and Shows sections.