THE COLOR BLACK IN ART AND DESIGN

The List #16

by Antonella Dedini

This month's The List is dedicated to lovers of black, in celebration of a variety of objects in art and design in this timeless hue.

Pictured: Shou Sugi Ban, a traditional Japanese technique of preserving wood

Detail: oil on canvas painting Le Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876.

Black was the king of colors for painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, with its inherent duality. It was "light and shade" for Leonardo da Vinci, symbolizes the night, and evokes darkness and gloom despite also being the color of silt and traditionally associated with fertility. It is the color of sin, but also of devotion, melancholy, morality and sobriety. It was the color of the austere gowns of the Victorian era; the elegance of Chanel's petite robe noire or little black dress; the infinite shades of black in the works of fashion designer Rei Kawakubo; and the color of charred wood in the ancient Japanese technique Shou Sugi Ban (literally: charred cedar board) to clad the facade of homes and give them semblance of antiquity that in Japan symbolizes protection.

Black can bestow invisibility or signal an important presence and offers endless possibilities to change up a space. It is the color of the black-topped pottery found in ancient Egypt, where the association of beauty with black, charged with magical and mysterious connotations, was already a sort of standard for early civilizations. Black has continued to make its mark in fashion and design, including in Gothic fashion, which continues to be in vogue.

So, lovers of black, this month's The List is for you, in celebration of a variety of objects in art and design in this timeless hue.

 

THE BLACK CIRCLE AND THE WHITE CIRCLE

Alexander Rodchenko; White Circle; Russia; 1918

White Circle, Alexander Rodchenko: a constructivist artwork Artist Alexander

Rodchenko said that if the eye is to be taught to see in new ways, it must be shown everyday and familiar objects through completely unexpected perspectives.

Rodchenko was a sculptor, painter and graphic designer and was among the founders of the Constructivism movement, a cultural movement that started in Russia in 1913 and rejected the idea of Art for Art's Sake, preferring art as a means of pursuing social objectives.

 

BLACK-TOPPED POTTERY, CERAMICS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT

An example of black-topped pottery; Predynastic Period in Ancient Egypt; Naqada I-IIA culture (3900-3600 BCE)

 

Black-topped pottery is one of the oldest types of ceramics found in Egypt. The earliest pieces date back to 4000 BCE, but production continued until 3700 BCE. They come in a variety of shapes including jars, bottles, cups and glasses, and they often had markings on them which indicated the type or quantity of the vessel’s contents, the owner, the place where they were produced or where they were destined for.

Black-topped pottery was handmade using natural silt deposited by the Nile River, with straw and sand being added to make it more malleable. The pottery was then fired upside down, and the lower part turned red when oxidized, while the mouth and inside turned black as they were covered with organic material that burned, producing smoke and consuming oxygen. Source: Egyptian Museum; Turin, Italy

 

A JEWELRY MAKING REVOLUTION

Otto Künzli; Gold Makes You Blind bracelet; Zurich, Switzerland; 1980; 18K gold and rubber

"Gold Makes you Blind" Bracelet by Otto Künzli

Swiss artist Otto Künzli was one of the artists who revolutionized modern jewelry. He has been called the master of conceptual jewelry, and his work is essential, analytical and often tinged with mischievous playfulness. He is provocative, using irony to challenge aspects of modern life including consumerism, wealth, power and vanity.

Through his minimalist yet meticulously crafted pieces, he comments on cultural phenomena, cleverly and sophisticatedly using metaphor and iconography to create jewelry that adorns its wearer but is also a means of expression.

 

THE LONG PLAYING LAUNCHED BY COLUMBIA RECORDS

LP record; Columbia Records design team; USA; 1948-present

Nero Vinile

The LP record – with LP standing for "long playing" or "long play" – transformed 20th century pop culture. It was first launched by Columbia Records, although as early as 1931 RCA Victor had made attempts to record Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. It was Columbia Records that introduced the LP at the right time in 1948, leveraging the post WWII boom in consumerism and advances in plastics, specifically vinyl*, as well as recording technology**.

 

The LP record became popular because it could play 33 minutes of music on each side compared to four or five minutes on heavy 78rpm records, meaning a single LP could be used to listen to entire symphonies.

Today LP records have outlived audiocassettes and compact discs and have experienced a revival especially with DJs as they are an easier format to control and mix. And for music lovers, LP record sound quality is unmatched, although some turntables make records scratch almost nostalgically.

 

 

*Vinyl is a widely used material in advertising and graphic design products. Extremely versatile and used for printing, vinyl is produced by processing PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a flexible and durable plastic material.

**The sound on vinyl records is created analogically thanks to a stylus or needle, with a diamond or synthetic tip, which rides in the grooves in the record.

 

 

THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Coco Chanel; Petite Robe Noire; Paris, France; 1926

 

The little black dress is one that is perfect for any woman’s body. Journalist and writer Paola Pollo wrote in a March 25, 2006 article in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “There is one in every woman's life. A democratic, discreet, silly or chic accomplice, depending on the occasion. When Coco Chanel decided to create it, she did so thinking that ladies would finally and always be elegant. Because mademoiselle Coco Chanel was not timid. In private, she was always boasting to those who worked with her that ‘Women dress poorly, but I fool them all with my little black dress. They'll learn to have taste’”.

That delightful little black dress designed by Coco Chanel revolutionized fashion forever and became an iconic garment. It marked the 1930s of formalism, the 1950s of conservatism, the student protests of 1968, the disco music of the 1970s, the sequins of the 1980s, and the minimalism of the 1990s. It is a must-have dress for women ages 18 and up, and comes in a variety of fabrics from silk crepe to modern variations in jersey, chiffon and stretchy fabric.

 

THE BARELY-THERE BLACK CHANEL BIKINI BY KARL LAGERFELD

Karl Lagerfeld; black Chanel bikini; Paris, France; October 1995 worn by Stella Tennant

For fashion designers, the bikini has always been an opportunity for revolutionary expression. And designer Karl Lagerfeld knew well that this tiny Chanel bikini would leave its mark.

The look chosen for model Stella Tennant was explosive: apart from a towel around her waist, the only thing covering her was the barely-there swimsuit consisting of two round Chanel CC-logoed coverings on top and a skimpy bottom. Whatever one's opinion of the bikini, it was a genius move. And of course, it could only have been in the color black.

 

WALLYGATOR YATCH - A FORMAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

Luca Bassani and Luca Brenta; Wallygator; 25 meter Wally Yacht; Italy; 1991

 

Wallygator, by Luca Bassani and Luca Brenta

Wallygator was a revolutionary yacht in the sailing world and offered a variety of new features, from the stern side tender bay to its automated maneuvers. All in a red cedar hull covered in green carbon fiber in a minimalist style that eliminated what was superfluous. This was the first time carbon fiber was introduced on a pleasure boat. Black carbon fiber is increasingly used in the production of objects requiring resistance and strength, but where lightness is essential, with this being especially important for boats and yachts.

 

Naval architect Luca Brenta writes that Luca Bassani contacted him for a project that would wipe out all preconceptions. "He asked me to envision a boat that would best meet his tastes and needs as a cruiser and racer". The yacht also offered various features that would make it safer for children, and the carbon mast, with simplified rigging, made things easier for sailing, while the many hydraulic and electric servomechanisms made the boat maneuverable by even just one person. Luca Bassani was also the first to introduce striking tones for hulls: bronze, copper, silver, petrol blue, and above all black.

 

BLACK HEART SCENTED CANDLE BY DUBROVKA VIDOVIC

 

This little black porcelain box and lid in the shape of a heart contains a candle, becoming a little decorative container for trinkets once the candle has completely burnt down.

The thorn motif often appears in Antibiotico Design's collections, lending a punk-like feel to their pieces. Contrary to what it might look like, the thorns that decorate the small heart don't sting but are instead soft, creating a surprise effect.

 

Antibiotic Design is an art concept brand founded in Shanghai. The brand creates limited-edition, artful home products whose semantic, expressive and emotional value is fundamental. The central idea is to create objects that can empathize with people and create emotions in them.

Dubravka Vidovic is a Croatian visual artist who splits her time between Milan and Shanghai. Her work embraces a variety of media from installations to photography to objects and video.

 

THE BLACK CAT: TALISMAN AND GOOD LUCK CHARM

Black Cat shoehorn by Pasotti; Italy

 

Black cats are some of the most elegant felines in the world and have a tenderhearted and docile temperament, making them some of the nicest and most affectionate, albeit free-spirited, pets.

The black cat is an animal that is said to bring good luck, prosperity, health, love and money, and if it is kept at home it is said to bring protection and health.

In Anglo-Saxon tradition black cats were kept on boats to ensure good weather and calm seas, and in ancient Egypt black cats and felines in general were worshiped.

The deity Bastet was depicted as a beautiful black cat or a woman with a cat's head. She was a symbol of harmony and happiness and was a protector of the home, guardian of pregnant women, and she warded off evil spirits.

 

THE SHOU SUGI BAN TECHNIQUE: THE JAPANESE ART OF WOOD BURNING

 

Studio Baag; coat rack Match; Mogg; Italy

 

Shou Sugi Ban, also called yakisugi, is an ancient Japanese tradition whereby wood is burned to protect and preserve it.

It is an extraordinary ancient ecological technique used prior to the invention of synthetic chemicals, and increases wood’s resistance to fire, water and attacks from fungus and insects.

The term yakisugi literally translates as “charred cedar board”, where the surface of the wood is charred with a flame and then sealed with oil.

It was originally used on cedar planks (sugi in Japanese), a very common wood in Japan. It is a technique that is used in architecture as well as on various types of wood on which carbonization has a fire retardant and protective effect, reducing thermal conductivity and preventing further burning. It also makes the wood less prone to being attacked by insects and fungus and protects it from moisture.

In Japanese tradition, destruction signifies strength and resilience, a concept deeply rooted in the most famous technique of wabi-sabi where the discovery of beauty in imperfection means accepting the cycle of life and death.

 

REI KAWAKUBO: SHADES OF BLACK IN FASHION DESIGN

 

Rei Kawakubo, creator of the Tokyo-born 1969 brand Comme des Garçons, is perhaps considered the most extreme designer in the fashion world. She founded the brand that in French literally means “Like the boys”, a name that sounded good and was perfect for her desire for revolution.

She is a goddess of intellectual fashion in the most noble and profound sense of the term, with the ability to read the world, and she does so through creations of infinite shades of black in her designs. In 2019, at the presentation of one of her collections, she said we have to “find the light in the dark, because there is no light without darkness”.

Kawakubo offers a contrasting take: all-black suits, men's jackets that go against tradition, covered in layers of women’s clothes. “Light is caught by black jewelry with a masculine bent, while shoes are heavy and studded. Gleams of lurex or crushed crystals illuminate black jerseys, eyes are covered in black, hair is bleached or black and extreme”.

 

BLACK LEATHER BRACELET AND THE PUNK STYLE

Black leather bracelet Victory Explorer by Krack Milano;

The punk youth movement started out in the late 1970s in England in response to the political system of the time and was characterized by a nihilistic attitude toward society. Rebellion was manifested through the display of all things provocative and scandalous, often in dark and gloomy spaces, with outfits and looks consisting of black studded clothing and countercultural and extravagant haircuts and colors.

 

The term originated from the punk rock music genre that arose at that time in New York and London with bands like the legendary Ramones, the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Velvet Underground with fast rhythms and harsh sounds and bare-minimum instruments.

 

 

 

Punk influence can be found in many art forms, including literature, visual art, music and fashion. Although the term "punk" in English means ruffian and is associated with what is cheap, today its meaning has become a way of marking one's identity where a bourgeois outfit can become rebellious when covered with studs and pins and accompanied by piercings.

 

THE OXFORD BLACK UMBRELLA

Oxford Black umbrella with handle in bamboo by Pasotti; Italy 

 

We don’t know for sure who invented the umbrella, but a Chinese legend tells of the story of a girl named Lu Mei, who bet her brother that she could create a portable object that would protect from the rain and sun.

In a single night, Lu Mei created a stick which from the top branched out into 32 bamboo canes covered in fabric, resembling the shape of a mushroom. Parasols were commonly used to protect people from the sun in ancient Egypt and India, and were a sign of power and nobility.

In Europe, it was only in the 19th century that the umbrella gained its new function as protection from the rain, spreading to Italy and France and especially to England, where it became a symbol of elegance for men to wear a bowler hat and carry an umbrella, both of which were always strictly black.

 

TOTAL BLACK IN DESIGN

 

 

Fabio Novembre; Nemo armchair by Driade; Italy; 2010

 

Black objects never go out of fashion, and we never get tired of them because they easily go with anything, anywhere. In spaces dominated by light colors, a black piece of furniture or decorative object provides a nice contrast.

Black generously provides light and elegance, and if one knows how to use different degrees of saturation in relation to different materials, black is elevated from a simple color to a veritable material.

 

THE BLACK SPACE

Zaha Hadid; Hotel Puerta America; Grupo Urvasco; Madrid, Spain; 2003-2005

 

The color black, along with red and white, was the first color used by humans in cave paintings.

Throughout history it has always been considered a non-color, but at the same time an essential element for all art, as black is used to define shadows and give depth to images.

Black can be used in a space like a bedroom, for example, to bring tranquility and encourage sleep. If we give the color black the space it deserves, it can be a perfect backdrop for other colorful objects. It can be playful and lighthearted while creating interesting geometric decorative patterns when juxtaposed with white. And when used to accentuate fixtures like doors or windows in a room, it can be a good trick to accentuate the lightness of wall structures and furnishings.

 

THE BLACK SIGN: PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Enzo Mari; Formosa perpetual calendar in black; Danese Milano; Italy; 1963 

 

Iconic perpetual calendar Formosa was the result of rational design carefully focused on the function of the object and the naturalness and intuitiveness of the movements needed to change the date on the calendar.

The calendar has an intuitive readability reminiscent of 1940s railroad signage, and its black Helvetica font is one of the most widely used fonts in the world, both in advertising and publishing. Helvetica was created in 1957 in Switzerland, when Eduard Hoffmann, director of the Haas foundry in Münchenstein, decided to commission freelance designer Max Alfons Miedinger to create a new font. From then on, it became an icon of Swiss design, and today is still considered a model of understated elegance and functionality.

 

The choice to produce this calendar in ABS plastic and not in other materials like iron or aluminum stems from making it lighter, easy to assemble, and affordable, purposes which for Mari had absolute precedence. So much so that it has never gone out of production since, and is part of the MoMA's permanent collection.

In the words of Enzo Mari: “Perpetual calendars always present some substantial difficulties: you have to remember to update them each day, and they require interaction”. And it’s precisely this interaction between people and this calendar that makes the ritual of recording the passing of time sacred.

 

THE BLACK COLOUR IN ARCHITECTURE

Urnes Stave Church; Luster, Norway; 12th century.

Monochromatic black in architecture is extremely fascinating. Practical materials such as slate, lava, Japanese charred wood, and tar are being used in contemporary architecture in very interesting ways, and they succeed in making architectures converse with its environment, either in pursuit of invisibility or as a prominent presence.

 

A black building is an ostentation of solidity not only statically, but also economically, as shown by various applications on headquarters of large banks for example, where black granite structures represent impenetrability and eternal durability. Black offers opposing sentiments as it can also be dynamic and visually light. It can play with the viewer’s gaze with unexpected reflections of its surroundings or, as in the case of Scandinavian churches, it can point devotees to a spiritual path that from the dark exterior points to a light-flooded interior.

 

THE BLACK LIQUORICE ROLLS

Paul Riegel; black liquorice rolls; Haribo; circa 1946

 

I still go crazy for these black liquorice rolls. They're mouth-watering little spirals that some people love biting into, while others unroll them, and some even pull the liquorice string apart into two pieces.

But who exactly invented these rolls? Food-grade licorice was invented as early as 1925, and these little liquorice rolls were created after World War II by the manufacturer of gummy bears, Haribo, which was a leading company in the industry. And while we owe the invention of gummy bears to Hans Riegel, it was his son Paul Riegel who invented the liquorice roll and patented this ingenious method of winding up a single long strand of licorice. Thus Lakritz Schnecken were born, literally meaning “liquorice snail”, as the candy resembles the back of a snail.