Kolor

The PhD ‘Exploring an experimental and material-based colour design proces’ questions the relevance of classical colour theory for the designer. With the project, I investigate how elements from classical colour theory and aesthetic theory of atmosphere can form both the basis for the development of an experimental and material-based colour design practice and the basis of a contemporary colour terminology using harmony and atmospheres as perspectives to analyse and discuss the designed colour combinations. The PhD project is funded by Independant Research Fund Denmark and situated in the Lab for Social Design at Design School Kolding. The project runs from the 1st of january 2021 to the 31st of december 2025.

I hope you will find colour, design processes and colour teaching as fascinating as I do.

Enjoy; Maria Kirk Mikkelsen

Manifesto:

It is with great awe that I share this, my manifesto, with you. There is so much to fight for in my little nerdy world of colours and design, and out of fear of losing track and getting lulled into the habits of others, I have written these 235 words about what I want with my PhD project. As a kind of oath, I share it with you. Be my witnesses and help me stay focused if you can.
I want to examine the essence of colour from a workshop perspective.
I want to ask two major philosophical questions, the ontological; what is colour? And the epistemological; how can I know something about colour?
I want to ask from a practice perspective; what can I, the designer, use it for?
I will explore, apply and challenge the widely recognized twelve-part colour wheel and Johannes Itten’s normative instructions on colour harmony.
I will explore, apply and challenge the concept of atmosphere from philosophical aesthetics as an approach to understand colour compositions.
I want to do research on colour that is relevant to both design research and design practice.
I want to do research that uses the artistic methods and approaches from my field, because I believe that there are nuances and truths that the measuring of positivism cannot bring to light.
I will find inspiration and argumentation in the exemplary work of others.
I want to seek out people who can support and challenge me in my search for my own path into artistic research.
I will apply a phenomenological approach and investigate how phenomenology can support practice in constructive design research.
I will experiment with the academic text as a form of communication and write in first person and include personal, phenomenological reflections.
I will recognize visual material as epistemological artifacts and equate the value of this type of knowledge with the written word.
I want to hold on to my identity as a practicing designer. I do not want to be transformed into a non-designing academic.
I will fight for this manifesto.