Photo courtesy of: www.artcritical.com
White space. When most people think about it, there is no particular emotion. It's there, it's not there. I recently read a book by David Sedaris titled "Me Talk Pretty One Day" where he analyzes this idea of white space. He comments: "these people (designers) are discussing the significance of nothingness." Some would argue that the only people who care to discuss the importance of white space are designers and art talented individuals- the mass population could care less. However, the importance of white space can be seen in all aspects of design in modern day to serve the need of a fast paced, short and sweet message.
The phrase "less is more" seems appropriate in today's world of design and advertisement. This minimalist approach with the use of white space in modern day design can be seen in Cy Twombly's Cycles and Seasons. The use of white space allows for a shift in visual weight from the upper right hand corner down to the lower left hand corner. Because of the white space, there is a significant start and end point- the negative space allows viewers to focus on the "heavy weighted" segment of the painting. The white space also adds a creative contrast to the swift, dramatic, and smudged markings that fill up the center of the page, giving the painting a playful quality and organic texture. Consequently, there is much to be said about "nothingness".
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