As an industrial designer with a long and established career, one rightfully assumes Hella Jongerius [1963] is aesthetically-inclined in a big way. And yet, despite the many accomplishments that she’s raked in, the Dutch creative continues to passionately push boundaries for the sake of the ultimate in design. Jongerius’ scope on design is thorough, holistic even, meticulously exploring all that can be explored in order to advance to the next level in her craft.

Currently on at the Design Museum‘s new premises in London, is Breathing Colour, an exhibition that takes cues from no less than 15 years of colour research by Jongerius. It’s an installation-based showcase that puts colour up front, allowing visitors to pick up a thing or two beyond the usual and ordinary.

On display is a diverse collection of new commissions that explore the effects that light conditions have on our perceptions of colour and form, and it’s Jongerius’ ultimate aim to pit the power of colour against the power of form. The designer’s research has been inspired by a wide range of sources, including even celebrated painters, who recognised and recorded how light affects objects and landscapes. The exhibition aims to blur the usual boundaries between art and design, and combines intriguing shapes with extensive research to question our general preconceptions and limited understanding of colour.

Design: Hella Jongerius
Photography: Luke Hayes

https://superfuture.com/supernews/london-breathing-colour