Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation #7 (GGLO#7)

October – November 2019


Background

Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation (GGLCO) #7 continues my investigation into the inherent qualities of each red-coloured artists’ pigment as a response to the oldest red layer at Lake Mungo. Initially, I had planned to travel to England and work with George Field’s notebooks archive. I had organised an observational study of red pigments in Colart’s Innovation and Development labs in London. From here, I planned to take dry state samples of red pigments and travel to the island in Greece where my grandmother came from. It is also near where Aristotle made many famous observations at its lagoon. There I intended to conduct an additional comparative observation.

But plans were drastically altered as COVID-19 infected and changed the world forever. My examination of the inherent qualities of red pigments had to shift, and my central focus became more connected to the relationship of colour and its materiality as it remained in Australia.

My initial response to the COVID pandemic was a mix of fear of the unknown and protection for those close to me. As a practice-based researcher, a more immediate response was to engage with my creative practice to make sense of it all. I explored questions about the nature of colour that pre-COVID would not have offered the same reply. I developed the COVID Colour Challenge 2020. I focused on Field’s beauty of colour. I wanted to understand if the characteristics of the red pigments evidenced in GGLCO#5 and GGLCO#6 were consistent. I needed to answer questions about individual pigment behaviours and confirm my findings.

This observational study, GGLCO#7, was installed at the UNSW research studios on 1 July 2020 after the first Sydney lockdown.

The papers were extracted on 3 October 2020 after approximately 2,550 hours.

Scope

To observe the behaviour and working properties of pigments classified as red in a wet state over time.

To identify the domains of the artists’ palette into warm, cool and earth reds and compare the inherent qualities (transparency, opacity, pigment strength, brilliance) of red pigments as an exemplar of the nature of colour.

To provide evidence as an artefact of the inherent qualities of red pigments.

Materials

  • 24 x 5ml of each red pigment of Winsor & Newton Professional watercolour paint (see table below).

  • 24 x glass test tubes with a secure lid.

  • Six tube racks for wall mounting.

  • Tap water filled to the top of the test tube.

  • 24 x sheets (14.8 x 21cm) of handmade cotton paper with no sizing.

Procedure

  • The cotton paper sheets were loosely rolled and submerged into the glass test tubes filled with 25 different colourants and water.

  • The red colourants were agitated twice during the exhibition. This took place because the coloured pigment had settled unevenly, and I hoped to see the pigment across as much of the paper surface as possible.

 

Observations and Reflections

Transcript from video documentation of GGLCO #7

It’s the 1st of July 2020, and I'm starting a new observation Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation #7 on the wall. I've got a series of test tubes set up – these will be the warm reds, cool reds and earth reds. Here there are eight test tubes in each with a small square of natural cotton paper that's unsized. It's quite textured and quite rough and raw. What I'm going to be placing in there are each of the red pigments that have been a part of my study with just tap water in it. I'm going to fill the test tube, at this time not place a lid on them as one of the previous problems in Gol Gol layer observation number six, that was started at Hazelhurst Gallery, I had to put a lid on them because it was in a public space but by putting a lid on it I trapped any foreign bodies in there. So, some of the colours reacted in a really grotesque way and formed a fungus and black mould and all sorts of things, which did expose some interesting things about that those colours, or those particular pigments, and what may be in that paint. I want to see these colours go from wet state to dry state, so this observation study is about documenting the wet state of those colours. Considering that the university is still in lockdown, I can install this experimental observation and then leave it. If allowed, I will come back in and document any changes until, hopefully, it evaporates over time. I am hoping for the outcome on the papers to be like the ones done in the large cylinders but on a smaller scale so that I can do a more concentrated study on them.

I am at UNSW Art Design Research Studios, and it is the 22nd of August and the last time I saw this observation, which is Gol Gol Layer colour observation #7, was on the 1st of July when it was installed. So, it has been an observation in isolation.

Usually, I would agitate the colour and document it as I observed changes occurring in the previous GGLCOs. This observation was different as I had to work very quickly to install the study. I placed colour in the tubes, and then the paper was placed into the tubes. The cool receding red’s and the earth red’s particular pigment character became more evident when they were left to settle and not played around with.

It is now 1,250 hours later, and it is the 22nd of August, so it has been the observation that has not been observed, which is different from the previous six observations where I have monitored their change and documented what I could see.

So, this is an entirely different observation for me. However, in some ways, it has also highlighted the significant difference between wet state pigments, that is, what we use as artists when we pour it straight from the tube, and we are working with it straight away, and what happens when it dries.

Cadmium scarlet had some issues with moisture in the paper; this one is Cadmium Red, and it has a very notable stench about it, which we have evidenced in all the observations if they have been over some time. The next one is Cadmium-Free Red. It has not grabbed hold of this paper in the same way. However, it has on the edges. It is starting to get some excellent staining that's happening here, which has been indicative of the cadmium-free colours, as opposed to the traditional cadmium, where they have granulated but not had these almost like tidal marks.

This one was particularly gross, congealed into a big globular thing, and a few more have developed throughout it. I am not sure whether it was actually in the vessel. I saw this happen on the other samples, but not big spots like this. I am interested to know what that might be. That said, there is some nice colouring in it. This red sample is Windsor Red, which looks rather beautiful, so that is the warm reds, though it is not looking so warm!

This video provides an account of Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation #7 advancing warm reds after 2,550 hours at UNSW research studios. These are my observations in the study of Pigment Red: the advancing warm reds and the video showing the extraction of the papers from the colourant. Featured in this video are Cadmium Scarlet, Cadmium-Free Scarlet, Scarlet Lake, Cadmium Red. 

Video of Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation #7- an observational study of Pigment Red. This video shows the diary that archives the final dry state papers that were installed in wet state colour on 1 July 2020, and then extracted from the colourant on 3 October 2020. Approx. 2,550 hours of wet state colouring.Video of Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation #7- an observational study of Pigment Red. This video shows the diary that archives the final dry state papers that were installed in wet state colour on 1 July 2020, and then extracted from the colourant on 3 October 2020. Approx. 2,550 hours of wet state colouring.

Recommendations

My recommendations are that further observational studies are required to identify and characterise the unique qualities of each pigment available to artists today. I observed red pigments as an exemplar of all colours and reframed Field’s characterisations of Beauty of Colour, Transparency, and Opacity. The procedure for each GGLCO was developed over many years and the reflective nature of my inquiry led to refinement and deeper inquiry. These observations require a great deal of time and consistent analysis and engagement to provide comparisons that are purposeful and richly characterised. The smaller-scale studies (although much easier to manage) do not convey each red pigment’s materiality as effectively as the large studies from GGLCO #5. Further large-scale installations would re-engage the public with Field’s ideas and deepen the sensorial experience and understanding of colour.

As the COVID pandemic and its restrictions continued, I had fewer opportunities to produce an examination installation. I had extensively recorded and documented each Gol Gol Layer Colour Observation and several supporting experimental colour studies during my research time. I have returned to Mungo seven times to date and each visit has revealed a deeper understanding of each of the red pigments. As the place, Mungo changed and shifted, so did my understanding of my palette of colours.