Writing Colors

It was around the time when darkness began to fall outside the window, and I was alone in an exhibition space. It was late November, in the early winter of 1999.
Photographs were hanging on the walls, and the bright lighting made the atmosphere inside and outside feel strangely separate, as if cut apart. After spending a couple of hours looking at the glossy surfaces of the photographs, the white walls, and the red partitions, I grew tired and began rolling a pen over my notebook. The desire to scribble something led me to make a few rough sketches for my next work — something I did every day.

Then, I came upon what seemed like an amusing game: writing colors.
I wanted to name colors — not by their chemical or formal names, but with words that described what I saw and felt. Depending on my emotional state, the same color could change; it was about writing down something that could only be understood through feeling.
And for two hours…

Before I knew it, about 140 colors had earned their names. Perhaps other people would have written down different names for their colors. And maybe, if the situation were different now, I too would write different ones. But at that time, in that place, the colors I sensed around me and imagined in my mind were given names. I wrote down those two enjoyable hours of colors, without changing their order. Most were written in both German and Korean, though sometimes I wrote whichever language came to mind first, and had to open a dictionary afterward.

What fascinated me about this game was that it wasn’t about seeing color with my eyes, but with my mind. Even colors of the same tone could appear different depending on time, place, surroundings — or one’s emotions and personality. And all of them could still be given names. Sometimes the words I made up were nonsensical, but whether in German or Korean, if a single word could let me imagine a color again, then perhaps it could be named as a color of emotion.

For several days afterward, I developed a habit of trying to see the colors of things with my mind — on the street, in my room, in the studio. Not always, but sometimes.
And sometimes, seeing things differently and thinking about what is seen — that, too, is a joyful thing.

심심한 색 · Boring color
생생한 색 · Vivid color
강한 색 · Strong color
깨끗한 색 · Pure color
극단적인 색 · Extreme color
알록달록한 색 · Color of many hues
무기력한 색 · Lethargic color
따뜻한 색 · Warm color
차가운 색 · Cold color
돌발적인 색 · Unexpected color
흔적없는 색 · Color without trace
입체적인 색 · Dimensional color
회화적인 색 · Painterly color
뿌연 색 · Hazy color
반짝이는 색 · Shimmering color
장식적인 색 · Decorative color
정의할 수 없는 색 · Indefinable color
무한한 색 · Infinite color
이름없는 색 · Nameless color
인공적인 색 · Artificial color
예술적인 색 · Artistic color
자연스러운 색 · Natural color
세련된 색 · Refined color
골때리는 색 · Crazy color
역겨운 색 · Disgusting color
더러운 색 · Dirty color
질서정연한 색 · Orderly color
물기먹은 색 · Moist color
재미있는 색 · Interesting color
눈에 띄는 색 · Eye-catching color
건조한 색 · Dry color
부드러운 색 · Soft color
딱딱한 색 · Hard color
우스운 색 · Funny color
웃기는 색 · Amusing color
현재적인 색 · Present color
미래적인 색 · Futuristic color
광활한 색 · Vast color
읽을 수 있는 색 · Readable color
가능한 색 · Possible color
완성된 색 · Complete color
우연적인 색 · Accidental color
계획된 색 · Planned color
다양한 색 · Diverse color
상징적인 색 · Symbolic color
인간적인 색 · Human color
표면적인 색 · Superficial color

깊이있는 색 · Deep color
가라앉는 색 · Sinking color
다른 색 · Different color
같은 색 · Same color
투명한 색 · Transparent color
긍정적인 색 · Positive color
부정적인 색 · Negative color
중성적인 색 · Neutral color
정신적인 색 · Spiritual color
육체적인 색 · Physical color
아무것도 아닌 색 · Nothing color
조형적인 색 · Formative color
테마적인 색 · Thematic color
집중적인 색 · Concentrated color
헐렁한 색 · Loose color
전개된 색 · Developed color
상상된 색 · Imagined color
빛나는 색 · Luminous color
윤이없는 색 · Matte color
흐린 색 · Faint color
밝은 색 · Bright color
어두운 색 · Dark color
재치있는 색 · Witty color
진지한 색 · Serious color
근사한 색 · Splendid color
잠재적인 색 · Potential color
전기의 색 · Electric color
수동적인 색 · Passive color
바보같은 색 · Foolish color
아름다운 색 · Beautiful color
생 색 · Raw color
근본적인 색 · Fundamental color
아침의 색 · Morning color
저녁의 색 · Evening color
해변의 색 · Beach color
격렬한 색 · Intense color
흥미로운 색 · Intriguing color
대단한 색 · Magnificent color
영혼의 색 · Color of the soul
천국의 색 · Heavenly color
지옥같은 색 · Hellish color
꿈결같은 색 · Dreamlike color
현실적인 색 · Realistic color
가상의 색 · Imaginary color
가슴을 여는 색 · Heart-opening color
좁은 색 · Narrow color
수직의 색 · Vertical color

수평의 색 · Horizontal color
향기로운 색 · Fragrant color
맛있는 색 · Delicious color
졸리운 색 · Sleepy color
잠깨는 색 · Awakening color
둥글한 색 · Round color
각진 색 · Angular color
뾰족한 색 · Pointed color
조화로운 색 · Harmonious color
반사되는 색 · Reflective color
창조적인 색 · Creative color
상대적인 색 · Relative color
기표적인 색 · Signified color
기의적인 색 · Signifying color
철학적인 색 · Philosophical color
낭만적인 색 · Romantic color
모험적인 색 · Adventurous color
실험적인 색 · Experimental color
화학적인 색 · Chemical color
심리적인 색 · Psychological color
비밀스러운 색 · Secretive color
매혹적인 색 · Enchanting color
사랑스러운 색 · Lovely color
무정한 색 · Cold-hearted color
감각적인 색 · Sensual color
무시간적인 색 · Timeless color
사이에 낀 색 · In-between color
가물거리는 색 · Flickering color
긴장되는 색 · Tense color
움직이는 색 · Moving color
굉장한 색 · Great color
무감각한 색 · Numb color
보다 나은 색 · Better color
좋은 색 · Good color
나쁜 색 · Bad color
어지러운 색 · Dizzy color
부서진 색 · Broken color
개인적인 색 · Personal color
갖고있는 색 · Possessed color
밀려오는 색 · Surging color
최상의 색 · Perfect color
미끄러운 색 · Slippery color
무서운 색 · Scary color
겁나는 색 · Frightened color
잔혹한 색 · Cruel color
민감한 색 · Sensitive color
감정의 색 · Emotional color

1999.ⓒ Kyong Lee