Complementary with Gold
Complementary with Gold is a screen print on paper by artist Herbert Bayer.
This print is part of a larger series titled "A Series of Eight Screenprints,” composed of playful, colorful prints that are rich with optical illusions.
At a first glance, what do you make of these two floating orbs? Are you drawn more toward what these shapes might represent or to their distinct colors?
While it can’t be said definitely, Herbert Bayer’s history as a student of the Bauhaus points more toward the latter, suggesting that he was playing with color perception in this work. The Bauhaus was a prominent school of arts and design in Germany in the early 1900’s, which placed an equal emphasis on teaching the fine arts and the importance of creating manufacturable design. As a result, the students of the Bauhaus impacted the art world through their work with art forms that were designed to be reproduced, such as furniture design, architecture, and advertising.1
Bayer was no exception and went on to have a successful, albeit controversial, career in commercial advertising.2 His body of work ultimately expanded far outside of advertising, but his reliance on fine art principles was a constant in his work, most notably in his use of color theory. Color theory broadly refers to the theories of how our perception of color can be influenced by its surroundings, as well as how color is perceived by the human eye.3
Knowing about this interest and more about Bayer’s background, are you drawn toward any particular color or shape in this work?
For me, the inclusion of the word “complementary” in the title of this work, feels like a nod toward what Bayer might have been alluding to or experimenting with in this print. Red and green, two of the most prominent colors in this print, are complements of one another, meaning that they sit across from each other on the color wheel and are especially vivid when placed next to one another.
When a color surrounds its complement, as is occurring here with the red and green spheres, the interaction can affect perception, making a perceived change in shade or color. In other words, a color’s surroundings can have a big impact on how we perceive that color with our eyes.4
Do the green spheres look like the same shade of green to you? At a first glance, I perceive the green sphere on the left to be slightly darker than the green sphere on the right. However, simultaneous contrast is at play, making the greens seem different to our eye when in reality, they are not.
Bayer’s knowledge of color theory is part of what makes his work so dynamic and showcases his roots as an artist of the Bauhaus.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Bayer’s work and his work with optical illusions and color perception, two more of his prints are housed in Karp Hall. Red Transparency can be found on the first floor at the South entrance and Happy Birthday I can be found on the second floor.
Additionally, works by Bayer can also be found on the third floor of Schaffer Library; Happy Birthday II is installed in the administrative office, Four Scales can be found across from the third floor elevator, and Chromatic Triangulation hangs in the administrative conference room.
- Mallory Schultz, Art Collections & Exhibitions Fellow 2019 - 2020
[1] “Bauhaus,” The Art Story, May 28, 2020 accessed, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/bauhaus/.
[2] Alice Rawthorn, “Exhibition Traces Bauhaus Luminary’s Struggle with His Past,” New York Times, January 7, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com.
[3] Wendy Moonan, “The Pioneering Work of Graphic Artist Herbert Bayer,” Smithsonian Magazine, February 4, 2020, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/.
[4] Color Usage Research Lab, Simultaneous and Successive Contrast, June 18, 2020 accessed, https://colorusage.arc.nasa.gov/Simult_and_succ_cont.php.
Bibliography
- “Bauhaus.” The Art Story. May 28, 2020 accessed. https://www.theartstory.org/movement/bauhaus/.
- Color Usage Research Lab. Simultaneous and Successive Contrast. June 18, 2020 accessed. https://colorusage.arc.nasa.gov/Simult_and_succ_cont.php.
- Moonan, Wendy. “The Pioneering Work of Graphic Artist Herbert Bayer.” Smithsonian Magazine. February 4, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/.
- Rawthorn, Alice. “Exhibition Traces Bauhaus Luminary’s Struggle With His Past.” New York Times. January 7, 2014. https://www.nytimes.com.