“Azurite was also called citramarine, suggesting its origins on the near side of the sea.” - Stella Paul, art historian
There are many kinds of blue - all the same blue, yet with inexhaustible permutations of appearance, impact and meaning. Artists have long chased the sensory thrills ignited by tropical light and the myriad hues of blue, embarking on journeys to distant lands of the Caribbean or Africa.
Andras Ikladi’s photographic exploration of colour commenced when he arrived in the subtropical city of Xiamen, South China. Previously preferring the abstract reality of high contrast and grainy black-and-white photography, he found himself irresistibly pulled into this new dimension, resulting in his first body of work using colour: Citramarine.
Exploring the complexities of light and its interplay with colour unveils their psychological influence. Tropical hues possess a unique potency to evoke emotions, shape narratives, and even alter moods. The warm embrace of tropical light triggers profound responses within the human psyche. Simultaneously, sun rays penetrate deeply into the skin tissue, inducing a parallel hormonal effect, accompanied by the caressing of a warm breeze. The combined result is a visceral connection to a space, where the interplay of light and colour reaches into the depths of human experience.
Citramarine is a realm beyond visual perception.