Red is pure, vital energy - the hue of the longest wavelength of light and the highest arc of the rainbow. It’s intensity (and complexity) can be iconoclastic for the self-possessed Nomad—and is universal for power.
The vibrating sense of red animates the inanimate like blood. It is life-force that nourishes our most essential needs for survival. The primary color is associated with the Muladhara or root chakra, the first energy center located at the base of the spine. It is the seat of Kundalini - potential, security and belonging, whether to our tribe or the world at large. The dominant hue is favored amongst visual artists, where the emotional self is a fertile source of individuality and creativity. The enigmatic performance artist Marina Abramovic’s penetrating gaze enveloped by Brigitte Bardot’s sexy grin captivates viewers in a postmodern connection. For Louise Bourgeois, making art was a form of psychoanalysis, an aid towards survival, self-protection, and “a guarantee of sanity.” Her work placed the Sisyphean figure in red, translating feelings of passion and violence into the fiery color. (See “Tree With a Red Crutch,” and “Red Night” ) “Everywhere in the modern world there is neglect, the need to be recognized, which is not satisfied. Art is a way of recognizing oneself, which is why it will always be modern,” said Bourgeois. From the vortex of a crimson starburst, half parachute, half kaleidoscope, the color red incites a tumultuous range of associations with a telling cinematic history. The Red Shoes The stylized art-house film Raise the Red Lantern In Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors: Red The timeless lineage of the red in cosmetics - crushed rubies and cochineal extract for ancient women, a crimson coat of arms for modern monarchy, and the geisha’s bee-stung lips - continues today on the red carpet and in beauty trends on the runway. This assertive hue keeps you on your toes. Don illusionist eyes in the style of Marilyn Minter’s provocative glamour with molten-red shadow and confetti-sized glitter. Words surging forth from spellbinding scarlet lips never go unnoticed, especially with lacquered textures on the runway. Sweep your pout bright with Russian Red for Paulina Olowska’s “Applied Fantastic,” where Eastern European beauties wear woven textural montages of Western pop art meets haute couture meets vintage knits. Feather the edges of your oxblood-stain lips for Tracy Emin’s disheveled look of long, controversial nights. Or wrap your lips up in Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #137 with a blurry red shade. A minimal face punctuated by wine lips is a simple statement that mesmerizes with bold intensity. Anne Truitt, pioneer of minimalist art, devoted her life to (in her words)“ get maximum meaning in the simplest possible form." A little goes a long way with red. Ignore trends and go for the classic red of the New American Look masterminded by Diana Vreeland and Louise Dahl-Wolfe. A matte carmine shade is a catalyst that transforms dull moments with a “twist of fate that change lives forever,” like Lauren Bacall leaning against an American Red Cross window- impacting the course of film history. Match sultry red lips with this season’s Valentino-inspired red nails, nodding to Charles Revson’s classic For lasting effect, spritz on Rei Kawabuko’s take-no-prisoners crimson elixir in red-inspired scents of Comme des Garcon: Series 2 Follow the spirit to Comme des Garcons Red Shop, a pimento-hot concept store on rue de Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris, and have a red light special at Pigalle’s Le Carmen, imbibing a glass of Chartreuse with a fiery pout. ~Rhina Ju September 2013 |