Materials Lab Workshop: Investigating Color in Art

Hovering somewhere between matter and light, color is key to our perception, navigation, and representation of the physical world. Guided by experts from across the Harvard Art Museums, this workshop will consider theoretical and practical issues related to the materiality of color through a mix of hands-on experimentation and close looking in the galleries. Among the questions that will be explored are: What accounts for the color palettes found in different media and over time? How are different pigments, dyes, colorants, and glazes produced and used? What types of materials and techniques went into a color’s creation? How stable is the effect of a given color, and how might that alter over the life of an object? How can technical investigations help us understand how the effect of color is created? 

The workshop will take place in the Materials Lab, Lower Level.

$20 materials fee. Registration is required and space is limited. Materials fee must be paid to confirm registration. Please email am_register@harvard.edu, stop by the admissions desk, or call 617-495-1440 to register. Minimum age of 14; no previous experience is required.