Dripping Dreams
A reflection on perception, color, and the art that alters us
At the intersection of fashion and photography stands an artist I could easily name as one of my favorite contemporary photographers: Paul Rousteau.
His art is dreamy, colorful, and dripping. He evokes a kind of fluid paradise. His subjects often dissolve into shape, lost in long exposure, glimpsing through soft light. It’s like seeing a figure behind a rainbow, just out of reach, yet unmistakably human.
Though Rousteau’s work extends beyond fashion, his collaborations with various brands elevate the untouchable into something almost divine. Ethereal, yet intimate. He brings the untouchable luxury to the human form, making it feel like a feeling, not a product. Great marketing trick, am I right?
While reflecting on how his work has inspired me throughout my journey as a creator, I immediately thought of another artist who strikes a similar emotional chord: Olafur Eliasson.
Only instead of fashion or photography, Olafur works in installation. His art, too, is about perception, but through light, space, and experience. It’s immersive and physical, playing with all of our senses.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see his exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. While my favorite installation of his remains The Weather Project at the Tate Modern in London, I caught a powerful glimpse of that vision in Florence. One room in particular was bathed entirely in orange light, canceling out all natural color.
Imagine looking around and seeing everyone in shades of grey. How would you perceive someone if they came without color? Clothes spoke only through shape. Facial expressions felt heavier, more exposed. All of us became bland, and in that sameness, I wondered:
How would we adapt? What would make us stand out?
Experiences like that make you reflect on how deeply color defines us, and how little we acknowledge its power. It's a quiet force in our identity, in our wardrobes, in our emotional memory. And sometimes, removing it is the only way to truly see it.
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