Constructivist Purple

Diam. 36"
Oil on handmade wood panel
Handmade Morrow Archival pigment and medium

This vibrant and energetic painting is the third in my series exploring Constructivism, a critical analysis of what defines color.

Traditional color theories are divided between two dominant philosophies: John Locke’s subjectivism and scientific objectivism. Locke argued that color is a secondary quality—entirely dependent on the viewer’s perception, making it unique for every observer. Objectivists, on the other hand, define color by the specific wavelengths of light an object reflects.

Constructivism challenges both views, asserting that color is neither an inherent property of an object nor merely a perception, but rather the result of how an object came to be. It reclaims the intuitive, childlike understanding of color—where red, yellow, and blue serve as primaries, and orange, green, and purple emerge as secondaries.

In Constructivist Purple, I explore this philosophy through a single brush and dot brushstroke technique, emphasizing movement and fluidity. Form is deliberately secondary—color itself becomes the meaning of the piece. Look closely, and you’ll discover an intricate interplay of hues that may not immediately register as purple: flashes of blue, brown, red, white, and countless subtle variations emerge, reshaping the very concept of what "purple" is.

Beyond its exploration of color theory, Constructivist Purple is deeply rooted in the history of pigments and dyeing, drawing inspiration from the rich legacies of indigo, woad, and the exceptionally rare Tyrian purple—a pigment once reserved for emperors and deities. These historical connections reinforce the painting’s theme of transformation, rarity, and the evolving nature of color perception.

More than just an homage, this piece is physically shaped by history—it contains a single gram of genuine Tyrian purple, painstakingly derived from over 12,000 Murex snails, placed within a single dot of the painting. This single gram alone, valued at over $4,000, represents a direct lineage to the ancient world, a tangible link to the past embedded within a contemporary exploration of color and meaning.