Inherent color and material color

In the House of Dust project in Rome, Antonino Cardillo works with few but effective material interventions at the border between reality and fiction. In an apartment dating from the 1960s, identical color shades are interpreted in completely different ways using colored surface textures of various roughness, which are placed in strong contrast to each other. In parts this has created strong color worlds that, under the effect of light and shadow, generate an array of atmospheres. The application of rough earth-colored plaster —⁠ ⁠the so-called dust layer —⁠ ⁠up to the level of an artificial horizon, which also connects with all windows and openings, generates a cave-like feeling. The rough plaster, which has been manually applied with a trowel and colored subsequently, and the polished cement plaster determine the interior of the main room. A change in color —⁠ ⁠from gray-brown to a shade of pink —⁠ ⁠separates the public and private areas of the apartment. The alienation of the material using the devices of color and texture surprises and, at the same time, generates a feeling of security. The mood in the rooms changes depending on the light situation. This demonstrates clearly how relative our perception of color is.

Source

• Kerstin Schultz, Hedwig Wiedemann-Tokarz, Eva Maria Herrmann, ‘Inherent color and material color’ , in Thinking Color in Space: Positions, Projects, Potentials, Birkhäuser, Berlin‑Boston, Dec. 2018, pp. 314‑315, 342‑343.