Page 20 - Studio International - February 1967

To give life to the cosmic abstraction in the mural, 1964-5 David Medalla
change of colour with time and controlled motion of So far the Physichromies had included two types of
light within the composition were essential. Since colour only: additive and reflected colour. But now I am at present involved in working out
the mural would be in a quiet reception hall of a the artist changes over from parallel lines of opaque technical details and problems about
publisher of scientific books and journals, the mural colour to transparent colours and adds 'subtractive future projects for kinetic art. These pro-
should, I felt, be conducive to the relaxation of the colour'/Boxes designed for manipulation with fixed jects were first envisaged by me in 1964
people waiting there. This meant that motion and and moving patterns. Interferences. Additive colour and in 1965. They are toc many to enumerate
colour change should be continuous and subdued- and free modification of the structure and colour./
the eyes should not be bombarded with intense light Superimposition of patterns on two fixed planes. them all here. Seven projects especially
moving erratically at high speeds. Furthermore, there Modification by movement/Publication of the album intrigue me—'obsess' is possibly a more
should be no well-defined overall cycle of events that entitled 'Transchromies'. accurate word. One of them is a project
would tend to fatigue through repetition. for a spatio-temporal-tactile environment
The composition of the mural is not abstract in the 1966 comprising a swimming pool with sub-
so-called 'non-objective' sense; not that, in my By changing the height and distance between the
opinion, it is intelligible to speak in such terms, for to parallel lines, and by adding more coloured areas merged illumination, a room with no gravity,
me all painting is derivative from reality. The com- against the background, the development of the and a room where the naked body will
position, abstracted from celestial shapes, begins chromatic spectacle is accelerated./Through the encounter, at random intervals, fragrant
from the base of the mural where the curvature of the intensity of the background colours and the reflection showers of a resinous gummy substance,
Earth is drawn with an indication of the colour band of these colours on the perpendicular plane, a
and storms of silver and gold dust accom-
seen by astronauts when orbiting the Earth. Above three-dimensional optical effect is obtained: colour
this I have placed nine circular shapes with rota- moves forward in its own plane (ambiguity of de- panied by flares of light in different colours,
tional motion to symbolize the planets of our solar velopment). and musical sounds. The gold and silver
system. ( I first used this theme in my kinetic painting dust will be imprinted in abstract patterns
Ladders to the Stars 11,1965.) Physichromies-Programme: on the resin-soaked human skin. For this
I chose the Sun as the focal point of the composition. 1. Reveal through a single surface the infinite range project, I am designing a series of plastic
Within the orb of the Sun eddies turn about two 'eyes'. of plastic forms, considering the variations in colour
Between the Sun and the planets one can see three tints caused by sunlight in nature, and the possi- masks in abstract patterns, to protect the
horizontal disc-shaped nebulae within which there bilities offered by the ductility of artificial light. spectator when he enters the 'dust cham-
are to-and-fro motions of filaments of light (taken from 2. Find a different 'colour matter', a different 'colour ber', and, for the prudent, I am designing all
a theme in my Nebula 11,1961). Finally, above the Sun, condition' to replace the eternal surfaces painted kinds of swimming gear, and also floating
In a black background, there are slowly oscillating with emulsion pigments and the colours of stained sculptures in cork, rubber and inflatable
stellar clusters (taken from a theme in my Voyage 1, glass. The Physichromies are changing structures plastic, for use in the swimming pool. I
1956). which project colour into space. They create an
atmosphere of coloured light which changes with the hope eventually to have the masks and
intensity and position of the light source, as well as swimming equipment, including the float-
Cruz-Diez with the position and distance of the viewer, and ing sculptures, mass-produced.
includes three different types of colour: additive, Three other projects for which I am making designs
1954
reflected and subtractive. are: a project for missile sculptures-to cross inter-
Coloured cylinders of varying diameter and height
Additive colour: the background is covered by a stellar space, carrying with them the germs of a new
arranged perpendicular to the background; the multitude of parallel lines of different colour which life; a project for monumental bread-machines, to be
cylinders give rise to shadows and coloured reflec-
mingle in the eye of the viewer creating a different erected in city squares all over the world, for people
tions./Plans for a mural in which the spectator would
impression of colour as he draws away from or to make bread with, in different shapes and sizes, at
participate by manipulating and moving various approaches the work of art. all hours of the day; and a project for a mohole-flower,
sections of the work.
Reflected colour: when light strikes up against the a living, growing sculpture to be buried and sealed in
1955-7 parallel lines in the background, it bounces back and the centre of the earth. These are difficult pro-
Works with superimposed networks inspired by is projected onto the perpendicular strips, giving rise jects; the factors involved in their realization are
plants./Raised network patterns. Integration of to coloured waves which in turn emit chromatic waves many and complex. Whether I will accomplish these
shadows in fixed structures/Sculpted objects for towards the closest strip. This phenomenon modifies projects or not, remains to be seen. However, initial
manipulation. the effect of additive colour. difficulties had not daunted me in the past. When, for
Subtractive colour: light crosses the strips of trans- example, I announced to my friends in 1963 that I was
1957-9
parent colour axially and modifies the pigmentation about to create a work of art that will continually make
Effects of colour vibration./Animation of the surface
of the background parallels; the true intensity of and destroy and remake itself, none of them believed
by fatigue of the retina./Persistence of the image in colour is 'subtracted' from the latter. The effect me. Many of them have still not gotten over the sur-
the retina/Negative-positive effects/Deformation of varies when the viewer moves diagonally in relation prise they felt when they saw, the following year, my
perception/Colour effects by radiation. to the work. first bubble-machine.
My work has always been guided by the principles Three other projects, all of which I hope to make in
1959
Physichromy No. 1. Structure of parallel strips of experimentation. Almost all my compositions are 1967, are in the nature of homages: they are A Poem
based on physical experience which is important to for Van Gogh, A Poem for Mondrian, and A Poem for
arranged perpendicular to the background to produce
me as long as it helps to create a visual happening, Malevich. Van Gogh, Mondrian, and Malevich are
a climate of additive colour using red and green as
an object of plastic interest. three painters I deeply admire. The Poem for Van Gogh
the basic colours and white and black to modulate
I am not interested in expression in the traditional is actually a development of my first sand-machine
the incident light/Physichromy No. 2. Additive colour
sense of the word, because for the viewer the plastic (London 1964). It will be a spherical structure with
plus 'reflection colour'. Variations in the strips to
assist the modulation of light/Interferences: two- event which I create is more important than my palpitating parts composed of mud and pulverized
dimensional surface of additive colour by super- personal human problems. Contemporary work, our materials (dried seeds, rice, powdered coal, salt,
work, must evolve; it must change just as life itself etc.) in swirling motion. It will also incorporate electric
imposition of a network of parallel red, green and
white lines against a black background. changes with a pattern of events and a reality in lights and wind-sounds. No actual reference to any
which man is actively involved. Direct, perceived art of Van Gogh's paintings is intended. I only want to
1962 with no intellectual ambiguities. In my physichromies express the feelings I experience whenever I en-
Strips of regular height used instead of the structure I claim only to 'express' a few conditions of colour. counter a work by that great and tragic genius.
of strips of varying height/Elimination of red-green as A 'climate' is created by the changing patterns of The Poem for Mondrian was inspired, curiously
the sole sources of colour and use of the entire colour. Colour is a physiological phenomenon, some- enough, by something I read about the structure and
chromatic range. Shapes set against a background times voluptuous and even erotic. It appeals to the functions of the wings of dragonflies. It will be a
which emphasizes the shades of colour/Juxtaposi- primary senses, as art must do when the bonds of colourless object, very simple in shape, articulated,
tion of vacant spaces and animated spaces. 'intellectualization' are broken. with dynamic oppositions of straight horizontal and
62