Red + Black

According to Pigments Through The Ages, "red is supposedly the first color perceived by Man", and while my limited research can neither confirm or deny this statement,  the importance of this color in human cultural history is undeniable.  Perhaps, it's an evolutionary hallmark alerting us to the preciousness of our own blood- a visceral warning to staunch the flow...

In either case, artist Eto Otitigbe and I are exploring site specific video projection with red (and black) as a conceptual touchstone.  I've collected some images for inspiration, as well as some choice quotes to spark ideas.

RED

"We are linked by blood, and blood is memory without language."  - Joyce Carol Oates

"Like a cyclone, imperialism spins across the globe; militarism crushes peoples and sucks their blood like a vampire."  - Karl Liebknecht

"Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.”  - Bill Blass 

“He liked to observe emotions; they were like red lanterns strung along the dark unknown of another's personality, marking vulnerable points.”  - Ayn Rand

“Be on the alert, like the red ant that moves with its claws wide open."  - Ugandan Proverb

BLACK

"It's really easy to get colors right. It's really hard to get black - and neutrals - right. Black is certainly a color but it's also an illusion."  - Donna Karan

"I'm playing dark history. It's beyond black. I'm dealing with the dark things of the cosmos."  - Sun Ra

"Remember the words of Chairman Mao: 'It's always darkest before it's totally black.'."  - John McCain

"I see America spreading disaster. I see America as a black curse upon the world. I see a long night settling in and that mushroom which has poisoned the world withering at the roots."  - Henry Miller 

"Any color - so long as it's black."  - Henry Ford