Scholarly record

COLOR AND COMMUNICATION

L. Blotto

Abstract

The use of ochres and pigments, derived from vegetable and mineral world, to color parts or sometimes completely the skin of the body, is a practice still in use in many populations and ethnic groups of our planet. Anthropological research carried out on the oldest languages of the world has shown that in terminology there are names only for light and darkness, so for white and black. The third color that appears is red, which sums up the shades of pink, purple, purple and orange, and is psychologically linked directly to blood and life. Later, other terms were used to identify the various colors. Often, red pigments are extracted from lateritic or volcanic rocks. These ochres are generally used associated with oily organic substances which act as binders. From the reading of Anne Varichon, color ethnologist, we learn that at present, in primitive cultures, ocher represents the Earth Mother. It can be traced back to rituals related to death or hunting. In Africa red and ocher are used for initiation, at the Amerinds red represents maturity and ocher the origin of man. A profound symbolic value is then attributed to the colors, and their use is not limited to painting the body, but extends to objects commonly used and used in constructions. In research, attention is directed to the Himba populations of Southern Africa, the Sepik area in Papua New Guinea, and the Toraja tribes of Indonesia, trying to find out the common language based on color among the various ethnic groups and His applications that, in many cases, have produced works of art of great interest to which artists such as Picasso or Modigliani were inspired. At the same time, there is a safeguarding desire that takes into account the established customs, the sacred places of family and collective traditions, landscape values and culture that, for expression, has made use of the representation and visual language that emanates color, which becomes so identity and representative of different cultures.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2017/62/S23.010

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