"...try as we may to make a silence, we cannot." - John Cage
February 6, 2010 11:47 AM Subscribe
What visual artists are known (or would you say should be) for use of white space / negative space?
From any era, working in any medium. I'd also be interested in any exemplary works even if their creator wasn't otherwise known for reliance on white space.
From any era, working in any medium. I'd also be interested in any exemplary works even if their creator wasn't otherwise known for reliance on white space.
Rauschenberg's White Paintings--but maybe you already know that since you are referencing Cage.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:55 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:55 AM on February 6, 2010
well, Richard Meier really is an architect. He uses white space in a manner of speaking, is what I meant to say.
posted by tss at 11:56 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by tss at 11:56 AM on February 6, 2010
Best answer: Franz Kline
Robert Ryman
Robert Motherwell
Mary Heilman
posted by R. Mutt at 12:01 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Robert Ryman
Robert Motherwell
Mary Heilman
posted by R. Mutt at 12:01 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Heh, I hadn't thought of Miller. Good one.
Great stuff so far. I like the range of answers. Architecture hadn't occurred to me.
To refine my question a little, I'm not exclusively interested in works that are mostly blank or washed out. High contrast works would also fit the bill, and "lead room" in photography and film would probably be another useful criterion.
But all the answers so far are definitely what I had in mind, thanks!
posted by regicide is good for you at 12:10 PM on February 6, 2010
Great stuff so far. I like the range of answers. Architecture hadn't occurred to me.
To refine my question a little, I'm not exclusively interested in works that are mostly blank or washed out. High contrast works would also fit the bill, and "lead room" in photography and film would probably be another useful criterion.
But all the answers so far are definitely what I had in mind, thanks!
posted by regicide is good for you at 12:10 PM on February 6, 2010
Take a look at non-Western European works like Japanese Mingei. Or Chinese Bi Disks. There's a Japanese Trade sign that uses wood grain to suggest silk, and the void to suggest the river.
posted by effluvia at 12:24 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by effluvia at 12:24 PM on February 6, 2010
Yann Travaille is a tattoo artist distinguished by his unique style or cartoony, childish black linework stretching and arching across someone's body. The traditional of style of tattoos is to cluster as many disparate elements together in a thick jumble of color (think the tattooed lady from freak shows, the backs of yakuza, or sleeves on suicide girls). Yann's work draws attention to the body it's tattooed on by showing you how much space he's willing to take up without filling it.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:26 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:26 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Check out the minimalissimo blog - it covers a lot of artwork that might fit your criteria.
posted by extrabox at 12:41 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by extrabox at 12:41 PM on February 6, 2010
James Turrell, although his work is really about space, maybe not white or negative space. But there definitely is a 'this-space not that-space' contrast to it. Unfortunately, the google image search doesn't have great examples.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 12:45 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by kuujjuarapik at 12:45 PM on February 6, 2010
Egon Schiele? Especially this one. (fair warning: nudes)
posted by oinopaponton at 12:55 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by oinopaponton at 12:55 PM on February 6, 2010
Not as highbrow as what has been listed, but Peter Callesen?
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 1:05 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 1:05 PM on February 6, 2010
Best answer: You mentioned Cage, so for another musical suggestion, how about Kevin Drumm's Imperial Distortion? It's mostly ambient drone sounds that change only slightly, punctuated by a minute-long blast of static at the end of the last track.
posted by hydrophonic at 1:09 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by hydrophonic at 1:09 PM on February 6, 2010
The Blizzard segment from Akira Kurosawa's Dreams: 1 2 3, although it's pretty much the opposite of using a lot of lead room.
posted by hydrophonic at 1:13 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by hydrophonic at 1:13 PM on February 6, 2010
Visual artist Kristján Guðmundsson (Wikipedia, some examples: 1, 2, 3).
Webcomic Death to the Extremist, made by a friend, extensively used dialogue-less panels. Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
posted by Kattullus at 2:46 PM on February 6, 2010
Webcomic Death to the Extremist, made by a friend, extensively used dialogue-less panels. Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
posted by Kattullus at 2:46 PM on February 6, 2010
Best answer: Two photographers:
Kevin Saint Grey
Rober Barrocas
Both found via the minimalissimo blog linked above.
posted by regicide is good for you at 4:01 PM on February 6, 2010
Kevin Saint Grey
Rober Barrocas
Both found via the minimalissimo blog linked above.
posted by regicide is good for you at 4:01 PM on February 6, 2010
The last short in the recent French animated film Peur(s) du noir was pretty good at this. Especially at the end!
Less serious answer: my guy is always claiming the reason he doesn't mind AC/DC but hates most cock rock is what he describes as negative space in their sound that he finds interesting--the chords are defined as much by where there isn't sound as where there is to him. I kinda hear what he's talking about and have wondered myself about other subtle mainstream examples.
posted by ifjuly at 5:26 PM on February 6, 2010
Less serious answer: my guy is always claiming the reason he doesn't mind AC/DC but hates most cock rock is what he describes as negative space in their sound that he finds interesting--the chords are defined as much by where there isn't sound as where there is to him. I kinda hear what he's talking about and have wondered myself about other subtle mainstream examples.
posted by ifjuly at 5:26 PM on February 6, 2010
Minjung Kim
http://www.artnet.com/Galleries/Artists_detail.asp?G=&gid=424237643&which=&aid=423779534&ViewArtistBy=online&rta=http://www.artnet.com
posted by y6t5r4e3w2q1 at 5:43 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
http://www.artnet.com/Galleries/Artists_detail.asp?G=&gid=424237643&which=&aid=423779534&ViewArtistBy=online&rta=http://www.artnet.com
posted by y6t5r4e3w2q1 at 5:43 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Rachel Whiteread, whose entire oevre is casting negative space. Very interesting stuff.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:19 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:19 PM on February 6, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:50 AM on February 6, 2010