International Representation of Colour

Colour, the pure and fundamental element which we use and see in our everyday lives. It's around us everywhere we go and has become in a way it's own language. When looking at an object colour is in fact the first thing registered into our minds, instead of the line and object we are actually looking at, it's our visual way of life. Like symbols and letters, colour is it's own visual literacy, and is known universally. Colour is able to provide both physiological and visual information, however symbolically, these colours share countless different meanings due to the fact that's it's a powerful and important communication tool, and it is tied to religious, cultural, political and social influences.. For instance, a woman wears a white dress, where is she going? Already one would link this image to the Western world and identify this woman as a bride at a wedding, wearing her bridal gown, however if you were to say this to someone from Korea or India she'd be at a funeral. In China and India brides wear Red, and a further subversion would be shown in the Jan van Eyck's Renaissance painting which depicts a woman in a green gown - a symbol of fertility. Artist's and designers can have the control of the of what they allow the viewer perceive, however they must try to always be aware that they may be creating work and using colours which may convey a somewhat disrespectful message. The knowledge of knowing what is culturally correct and incorrect through design is very important, because one could risk the possibility of offending their target audience or possibly a business client. For example, it is said that purple in Thailand is a representation of mourning for those who have passed away. However, in the the Western culture, when one thinks of purple, it's easy to relate to royalty, luxury, a Cadburys chocolate bar, wealth and, occasionally even magic. Thai Airways brand colour is purple, after learning about the significance of purple in Thailand, one could see this as a huge branding error. It is possible however that Thai Airways is not targeted towards the people of Thailand but the Western tourists, therefore meaning western viewers would then associate the airlines to being luxurious. In conclusion, colour is a rather complex subject when it comes to design, especially when used internationally, with more research and understanding the representation of colour becomes more diverse and interesting.