3. Heritage 167
Colour is seen as shocking, confrontation-
colonial culture to differentiate itself from
al, superficial, and dangerous because its
the rest of the world, and internally, a way
absence has been so carefully constructed
of keeping a clear separation between the
over the past century as being the embodi-
difficult complexity and diversity of a rapidly
ment of everything it is supposedly not, with
evolving society, from those who see them-
the absence of colour coming to represent
selves as guiding it. Colour for the masses, let
depth, sophistication, seriousness, and gravi-
them watch Disney. Colour for the women,
tas, while colour (unless supremely limited
let them have their pastel kitchens. Colour
and controlled) was the embodiment of ev-
for the queers, let them decorate the de-
erything frivolous, or savage. It was, and still
partment stores. Colour for the immigrants,
is, to be ridiculed, or feared. It is quite easy
let them dress up for their weddings. But no
looking back now to see how the othering
respect. This relationship to colour has been
of colour was a vital ingredient in the sep-
drilled into us from the 18th century onwards, a
aration of serious mainstream modernity in
form of social control and stratification that
western culture from all of those troublesome
is reified through taste. There is a reason that
queers, women, immigrants and colonial
protest movements harness the power of the
subjects who, because no doubt the upper
rainbow to such powerful effect; it smashes
echelons of colourless world culture were
through this. There is a reason why still to this
reserved only for a select few immensely
day deploying an abundant and unapolo-
dull but self-anointed-as-enlightened men,
getic range of colours in a manner beyond
continued to utilise colour, pattern and the
the accepted level of sophisticated restrain
diversity of aesthetic expression that has
deemed tasteful is a shocking act that infu-
always existed on this beautiful planet to
riates so many. Colour should not be radical,
express themselves. The absence of colour
but unfortunately, it is.
has, since the enlightenment, been a way for
UFO, Sherwood Restaurant, Florence, 1969, Titti Maschietto Archives, Florence