Assignment-8 (A Design in Color Abstraction)
With reference to the movie “The meshes of the afternoon”
Meshes of the Afternoon is a 1943 American short experimental film directed by and starring wife-and-husband team Maya Deren and Alexandr Hackenschmied. The film’s narrative is circular and repeats several motifs, including a flower on a long driveway, a key falling, a door unlocked, a knife in a loaf of bread, a mysterious Grim Reaper–like cloaked figure with a mirror for a face, a phone off the hook and an ocean. Through creative editing, distinct camera angles, and slow motion, the surrealist film depicts a world in which it is more and more difficult to catch reality. I used colors to analyze and reflect on the emotions, mood and the environment of the short film.
This composition consists of all the important elements that were there in the film. The eyes here represent the multiple reincarnations (different sides of women which she observes and interacts with. Further the stairs symbolized the pathway to dreams, success, glory etc to which the women are equally entitled to but are always held back by the society. The central figure in Meshes of the Afternoon, played by Deren, is caught in a web of subconscious actions and events that blend with reality. Symbolic objects and archetypal characters, such as a key, a knife, a flower and a dark shadow, recur throughout the film.
Black’s most common a-ssociation is power, authority,evil, darkness, night, despair. and strength. Here referring to the male dominated society and forces opposing women. it’s a symbol of the eternal struggle between day and night, good and evil, and right and wrong.White is considered safe and open. complete and pure, the color of perfection . Thus, symbolizing the aspirations of women. Gray is the color of intellect and of compromise. grey does carry some negative connotations, particularly when it comes to depression and loss. Its absence of color makes it dull. it’s associated with morally questionable matters as well. particularly when it comes to depression and loss.
In this composition I have used red here tells us about the will , rage and angry and it’s also the color of blood, power and danger, making it a powerful color in branding. with which a women is filled because of being oppressed. yellow represents courage to endure and be hopeful, cheerful and optimistic.energy, optimism, enlightenment, remembrance, intellect, honor, loyalty, and joy. Purple here can be seen to represent the gloom, sadness, powerlessness, the forceful dependability and stark emptiness that a female can feel yet mysterious. Freedom, imagination, expansiveness, inspiration and sensitivity Dark Blue: Symbolizes integrity . Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity.
