Breathing Colour Informative Exhibition

The name of the exhibition Breathing Colour at the Design Museum in London comes from light’s ability to make colours come to life. It has been put together by a famous Dutch textile designer Hella Jongerius. Going through the exhibition is a visual learning experience about the use of colour in industrial design.

The space is divided into three sections: morning, noon and evening. This is a great and ambitious idea, as we know colours can look dramatically different depending on the time of the day and the amount and quality of light. It is important to know more why and how colours can change accordingly.

Jongerius also examines how forms and shades affect colour. Her criticism towards narrowing down the use of colour due to industrialisation of making colours is very valid. Industrial use of variety in colour e.g. in product design is still surprisingly limited.

Jongerius’ point that there is too much flat colour is an important argument. Making of industrial colours is a technical job, but it shouldn’t be. Only a creative mind can see the value of more complex compositions of colour making.