Secret Lives of Color

 

Color: puce
The Flea Queen
cardboard, wire, tissue paper, brown craft paper, hot glue, yarn, acrylic paint

        The color puce arose out of early 18th century France where Marie Antoinette wore her famously dark red purple colors dress. Puce refers to the under belly of a flea, harboring the same color as the queen's dress. It later became a fashion statement and then a way to shame Antoinette. I chose to make her gown, representing some of the fashion themes form 1700s France. The small round dots places on her arms, hair, neck, and under her dress represent the fleas the color came from. She is covered in these seemingly foul bugs as Marie Antoinette was disliked by the public for the majority of her royal position. 

Color: Absinthe
A Worrisome Wobble
acrylic paint on cardboard, wire 

            Absinthe was originally a strongly alcoholic drink coming out of the late 18th century by a French doctor. Many strange tales were founded around the beverage but its most common symptom was disorientation and hallucinations, which i chose to represent through a green monochrome street with a lot of movement to emulate the uncertainty and disorientation this drink gives it's taster.