THE COLORS OF INVENTION:
An Exploration of Color, Technology, and Culture
November 11-16, 1997
Presented by
The Lemelson Center for the Study of
Invention and Innovation, National Museum of
American History, Smithsonian Institution
Cosponsored by
The Smithsonian Associates
Color shapes our view of the world. It enriches our lives and
surprises us with its endless variety. Color mirrors our moods and
probably has more influence on our lives than we realize. Yet we
take for granted the ever-changing palette of our surroundings,
seldom stopping to consider how those colors came to be. New
colors are invented all the time, but where do colors come from?
And why do they affect us so strongly?
The Lemelson Center invites you to explore the rich mix of
technology, culture, and perception that influences the invention
and use of color during "The Colors of Invention." The programs
and exhibits in this weeklong festival highlight both historical
and cutting-edge developments in textile dyes, paints and
pigments, and imaging technologies from photography and film to
the most advanced computer graphics. "The Colors of Invention"
brings together designers, artists, craftspeople, photographers,
students, educators, scholars, movie buffs, music lovers and more
to understand how and why we create colors to shape our
existence.
Events marked with @@ require tickets. See the ticketed
events list below for further information. Except where noted,
activities take place at the National Museum of American History,
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
For tickets and information, contact The Smithsonian
Associates, 202-357-3030.
OPENING EVENTS
Tuesday, November 11
ART & DESIGN
@@ How Color Influences Your Life: Architectural Digest
at the Smithsonian
6 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
Pumpkin. Hunter. Midnight. Haystack. Today's "with-it" colors
have a lot to do with nuance and catchy names. This session
is highlighted by a discussion of the ins and outs of living
with color. A reception follows the slide presentation.
Speakers: Paige Rense, Architectural Digest editor-in-chief;
and interior designers Thomas Fleming, Greg Jordan, and
Marjorie Shushan.
Wednesday, November 12
GENERAL INTEREST
@@ Communicating with Color
12-2 p.m., Reception Suite
A look at how color influences our thought processes,
emotions, and physical reactions and the many ways to use
color effectively, both personally and professionally.
Speaker: Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color
Institute, and consultant to top professionals in fashion,
interior, graphic, and industrial design.
Thursday, November 13
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
@@ Palettes, Pigments, and Patrons: Historic Colors at
Mount Vernon and the Octagon
9 a.m. - 4.45 p.m. Starts and ends at the Mayflower Hotel,
Connecticut Avenue and De Sales Street, NW. Metro: Farragut
North
Visit two historic homes noted for the restoration of their
original color schemes--George Washington's Mount Vernon and
the Federal-style Octagon townhouse that served as James
Madison's "White House" during the War of 1812. The focus
will be on the methods used to reproduce the original colors
and the role of color in interior design in the 18th and 19th
centuries. Lunch is included.
Tour leaders: Matthew Mosca, paint consultant on both
restorations; and Margaret Walch, associate director, Color
Association of the United States.
ART & DESIGN
@@ Portraits of Invention, hosted by Marc Pachter. A
Conversation with Ivan Chermayeff and Donald Kaufman
7.30 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
Two experts on the use of color talk about their art, their
technique, and their lives; how color serves as an important
communicating element in collage, illustration, and graphic
design; and the application of fine-arts principles to
architectural paint colors.
Speakers: Ivan Chermayeff, graphic designer known for his
innovative use of color; Donald Kaufman, founder of Donald
Kaufman Color, creator of custom palettes for architects and
interior designers; and Marc Pachter, cultural historian and
counselor to the Secretary of the Smithsonian.
INDIGO DAY
Friday, November 14
Indigo Day activities examine colors from natural materials such
as indigo. And without indigo and its synthetic successor,
American blue jeans might not exist.
TEXTILES
Dye-It-Yourself
11.30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hands On Science Center, first floor,
west wing
Participants dye their own yarn using natural chicory,
cochineal, and goldenrod, and synthetic indigo.
TEXTILES
@@ Dyeing to Know History
1.30 - 4 p.m., Reception Suite
Trace the history and development of natural dyes and their
practical applications from ancient times through the 18th
century. Afterward, go behind the scenes in the conservation
laboratory with Museum specialists to view items from the
First Ladies Collection and other seldom-displayed clothes
and textiles.
Speakers: Anthony Travis, Edelstein Center for the History
and Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Medicine, Hebrew
University of Jerusalem; and Sarah Lowengard, State
University of New York at Stony Brook.
TEXTILES
Innovative Lives: Colorful Cottons
A developer of naturally colored cottons talks about her work
and her life as an inventor. Invited school groups only.
Speaker: Sally Fox, Natural Cotton Colours, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
"An American in Paris"
(1951, 113 minutes)
6.60 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
Vincente Minelli directed this Oscar-winning musical that was
choreographed by its star, Gene Kelly. A 15 minute
introductory talk covers the evolution and influence of
Technicolor.
Speaker: Richard Goldberg, Technicolor, Inc.
MAUVE DAY
Saturday, November 15
Mauve Day celebrates mauve and its relatives, the synthetic colors
first invented over 100 years ago which revolutionized our choice
of colors.
TEXTILES
@@ Dyeing to Know (More) History
10 a.m. - 12.30 p.m., Reception Suite
Follow Friday's tour of the world of natural dyes with an
exploration of 19th- and 20th-century synthetic dyes. Learn
about the invention of the first coal-tar dyes (including the
serendipitous discovery of mauve, the forerunner of all other
synthetic colors) and the role of World War I in the rise of
the organic chemical industry in the United States. Also tour
the conservation laboratory with Museum specialists for a
rare look at 19th-century clothes and textiles colored by
synthetic dyes.
Speakers: Anthony Travis, Hebrew University; and Kathryn
Steen, Drexel University.
TEXTILES
Dye-It-Yourself
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hands On Science Center, first floor, west
wing
Participants dye their own yarn using natural chicory,
cochineal, and goldenrod, and synthetic indigo.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
Imaging Technologies: Infusing What We See with Color
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hall of Musical Instruments
Join representatives from imaging-technology companies as
they demonstrate the latest advances in color printing,
computer animation, and photography.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
@@ In Living Color: Photography, Film, and
Television
1-5 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
Learn about the development of color technologies in
photography, film, and television and how they became an
integral part of our cultural life. Then join Museum
specialists in a behind-the-scenes tour of artifacts in the
collections that relate to color photography.
Speakers: David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher, authors;
Sally Stein, University of California at Irvine; and Robert
Gitt, Film and Television Archives, University of California
at Los Angeles.
FOR EDUCATORS
Teachers' Workshop: Color Curricula for Grades K-12
Teachers examine two special curriculum units on color.
"Color and Light" was developed by the Academy of Applied
Sciences with support from Polaroid Corporation. "True
Colors," a unit on bleaching and dyeing presented in
historical context, is an innovative learning approach to the
history of technology developed by the Lemelson Center and
the Society for the History of Technology.
Limited enrollment; contact Michael Judd ([log in to unmask])
for further information.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
"The Wizard of Oz"
(1939, 101 minutes)
6.30 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
In one of the most famous movie scenes of all times, Dorothy
(Judy Garland) and her dog Toto step from black-and-white
Kansas into glorious Oz in all its Technicolor splendor. A
15-minute introductory talk explores the aesthetic uses of
color in film, including colorization.
Speaker: Dwight Bowers, Division of Cultural History,
National Museum of American History.
MUSIC
@@ The Sounds of Color: A Jazz Concert
8-10 p.m., Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University,
21st Street near Eye Street, NW. Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU.
It's "Mood Indigo" as the Smithsonian's Jazz Masterworks
Orchestra plays modern pieces by such great tonal colorists
as Duke Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, Oliver Nelson, and Count
Basie. A short talk on color perception, instrumentation, and
harmony introduces this special performance.
Speaker: David N. Baker, musical director, Smithsonian Jazz
Masterworks Orchestra.
NEON GREEN DAY
Sunday, November 16
Neon Green Day offers events that highlight today's vibrant,
sometimes wild, even controversial, colors and their application
to modern culture.
GENERAL INTEREST
The Crayola Factory: Creative Fun for Everyone!
11 a.m. - 4 p.m., first floor, east wing
Experiment with a variety of Crayola Brand products;
explore the history and evolution of the crayon since 1903;
and learn how technology, trends, and fashion have changed
the colors you see and use every day.
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM
"Toy Story"
(1995, 81 minutes)
11.30 a.m., Carmichael Auditorium
The first computer-animated, feature-length film is
noteworthy for its brilliant use of color and its infectious,
fun-filled spirit. Created by Pixar, in conjunction with Walt
Disney Studios, Toy Story brings animated characters Buzz
Lightyear and cowboy Woody to life. A 15-minute introductory
talk places the film in cinematic context and outlines the
technology used to produce it.
Speaker: Dwight Bowers, Division of Cultural History,
National Museum of American History.
TEXTILES
@@ Color by Design
1.30-4 p.m., Reception Suite
Who decides what colors are "in" and which are "out" each
season? Will they be earth tones, primary colors, or perhaps
a shade unbecoming to you and me? This discussion illustrates
the history of color palettes in fashion and design and
offers some views on how the invention of new colors affects
color forecasting and fashion. Conclude the afternoon by
joining Museum specialists "backstage" for a tour of
20th-century fashions in the conservation laboratory.
Speakers: Margaret Walch, associate director, Color
Association of the United States; and Jacqueline Montgomery,
curatorial associate, Fashion Institute of Technology.
ART & DESIGN
@@ The Artist's View: Color, Technology, and Style in
Postwar Art
2-4 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium
An unusual look at how the invention of new pigments, often
at the urging of artists, together with new methods of
application, advance the vocabulary and depth of painting.
Speakers: Jules Olitski, abstract artist and a preeminent
innovator of color application in painting; Mark Golden,
president of Golden Artist Color, Inc., a leading
manufacturer of artists' materials; and Harry Rand, art
historian in the Museum's Division of Cultural History.
EXHIBITS
"Color Sells"
Opens November 12; Lemelson Center Showcases
New colors can make products more marketable, as industrial
designers and manufacturers know well. Color sells! This
exhibit illustrates the connections between aesthetics,
invention, and advertising. After viewing the display,
visitors can embark on a scavenger hunt, following clues
leading to other exhibits and challenging them to view
objects in a new light.
"Blue Guitars"
Opens November 12; Hall of Musical Instruments
Lutherie--the art of making violins and guitars--is steeped
in traditions passed from master to apprentice. The yellows,
reds, and browns we expect to see on these instruments are
created by varnishes developed over generations. What happens
when luthiers change the color of an instrument? This exhibit
features guitars from The Chinery Collection that were
created by some of the finest traditionally trained craftsmen
specially commissioned to produce guitars in the color blue.
"Paint by Numbers"
Opens November 10; Archives Center Showcases
The paint-by-numbers concept became reality in the late 1940s
when Max Klein, head of Palmer Paint Company in Detroit, and
his artist-designer Dan Robbins, perfected a method for
manufacturing the kits for an affordable price. Put out under
the name of "Craft Master," the kits allowed almost anyone to
paint technically perfect landscapes, flowers, nudes, and
abstracts on canvas simply by following the numbers in the
design. The paint-by-numbers collection was donated to the
Museum in 1997.
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TICKETED EVENTS
Smithsonian Associates
SENIOR GENERAL
DATE CODE MEMBER MEMBER ADMISSION
NOVEMBER 11
Architectural Digest 1X0-290 $15.00 $13.50 $20.00
NOVEMBER 12
Communicating with Color 1X0-294 FREE FREE FREE
NOVEMBER 13
Historic Houses Tour 1GD-016 78.00 78.00 123.00
Portraits of Invention 1X0-291 FREE FREE FREE
NOVEMBER 14
Dyeing to Know History* 1X0-292 15.00 13.50 20.00
NOVEMBER 15
Dyeing to Know (More) 1X0-293 15.00 13.50 20.00
History*
In Living Color** 1M0-295 20.00 18.00 25.00
Sounds of Color*** ---- FREE FREE FREE
NOVEMBER 16
Color by Design* IM0-296 15.00 13.50 20.00
The Artist's View** IM0-297 15.00 13.50 20.00
For tickets and information, contact The Smithsonian Associates,
202-357-3030.
* Seating limited.
** Ask for special rate for full-time students with ID.
*** For tickets to this event, call TICKETplace, 202-842-5387.
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