David Hockney’s current exploration of the use of shadow in art is fascinating.
His thesis is that in contrast with Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Persian art, European art employs shadows because of photography.
So as I walked around the valley in the early morning sunlight, I tried to imagine a world without shadows. And realised that it felt less than real.
Indeed, I didn’t know how I’d inhabit it or where to put my feet as perspective drained away.
Beauty isn’t just in full sunlight. And doing beauty isn’t about perfection, whatever that means.
What might we find if we looked further into the shadows?
~ I read the Waldemar Januszczak interview with David Hockney in the Sunday Times at 3 am when I couldn’t sleep…