New Exhibit: Opposites Attract
First Floor
Arthur Wesley Dow (1857-1922) pioneer art educator at Teachers College, Columbia University, revolutionized the teaching of design based on harmonious elements of composition: the arrangement and shape of lines; use of dark and light spaces (the Japanese concept of “notan”); and the relationship between colors.
Contrast in art is the arrangement of opposite elements to direct the eye of the viewer and define the composition of the work: the intentional arrangement, organization, and placement of visual elements. Types of contrast often include: color (red versus green, purple versus yellow); light and dark (black versus white); representation (figurative versus abstract in depicting objects, persons, places); shape (round, square, rectangular); size (large, small); temperature (warm or cool); and texture (rough, smooth).
Opposites Attract is a study of contrasting artworks from the Teachers College Art Collection. With pieces created by children and adults, some draw inspiration from the same subject, such as fish or still life, while others reveal differences in content, like a graph paired with a landscape. Kai Oh, Library Associate / Art and Design, invites us to ponder contrasting elements to see how they complement each other – ultimately to remind us of cohesion and unity, and with analogies that can be drawn to our human condition.
When: March 2 - April 17
Where: First Floor
