Many people, on visiting artifacts of bygone days, believe that they originally appeared in such drab colours (grey, brown). But ancient Greek sculpture, for example, was originally painted in extremely bright colours. The changing context of time robs objects of their distinctive characteristics, and it is easy to judge objects on their face value, without considering that one is mired in misconception. Similarly, viewing a culture whose recent time has been blurred by politics and history can make it take on drab and unappealing characteristics. Politics, like time, can discolour a subject.
Our age prides itself on multiculturalism, but I would like to ask: How much this has been achieved? I won't list particular examples here, our imagining contemplation will suffice.
So, if we come across something tarnished, might we ask: Is it really so? What has tarnished this work of art? This is what I thought of when I looked for something brown, on the final day of Poppytalk Color Week.
Elements: paper bag and doily: pugly pixel.
