Notice the negative space
On making the invisible, visible
👋
There are certain things you learn that stick in your mind.
For me, one of those things was learnt when I went to a drawing summer school when I was 17.
We were trying to learn techniques to create more interesting images. Typically I was getting really frustrated with myself because what was coming out of my pencil onto the page, wasn’t what I saw with my eyes.
Seeing my frustration the teacher said “don’t look at what you’re drawing, look at the space surrounding what you’re drawing”. Immediately it broke me away from seeing things in isolation, to seeing them within the context of what surrounds them. And suddenly my drawings improved.
It’s a great piece of advice, and one that I’ve taken through to doing strategy work. And so it forms the theme of this month’s newsletter.
Let’s dive in.
Throughout the course of history art has been used as the key to unlock culture. It can tell us as much about the zeitgeist as any written record, and can rival many films in its ability to stir emotions. In part this is because artists notice the negative space. They look between the gaps to find new ways of looking at the world. Reaching into the depths of societal consciousness to create a new kind of commentary.
In other words, they say the stuff which is otherwise left unsaid.
Their core job is to deconstruct accepted ideas and merge them back together in unexpected ways. When successful these new ideas have the potential to completely change the way you see something.
When it comes down to it, that’s what marketers strive for in their work everyday — to challenge the status quo, to cut-through, to stand out, to be remembered. But often there’s so much focus on getting to the answer we project what we think to be true without stopping to question what we’re looking at. I for one have been guilty of that.
So, when looking to understand your audience or find a solution to a creative problem I find it helpful to try to take a step back. What is it you’re not seeing? Are there adjacencies can you explore? What is the fundamentally human thing which is otherwise left unsaid?
Uncovering the ‘unseen’ is how artists connect with their audience. It’s an important part of their toolbox and ultimately, when used well, marketers.
Let me give you an example.
Edward Hopper is widely recognised as one of the most influential Realist artists of the 20th century; inspiring generations of artists, filmmakers and creators that followed.
He is also one of relatively few artists that have made it to household name status. He’s managed to successfully navigate that tricky area — creating work which is classed as ‘art’ by the critics, without alienating the mass majority of people.
This is because he knew how to capture the essence of a situation, the negative space. The stuff which isn’t said, yet when presented to us is instantly, and universally recognisable as a feeling, an emotion.
In one of his most famous paintings, ‘Nighthawks’ we are looking through the window on city culture. The diner is a real representation of the loneliness and solitude a lot of people feel.
It is because of this that his paintings have a timeless relevance. And there’s arguably no better proof of relevance than social validation. Not only do his postcards adorn the walls of homes across the world, his work also had a resurgence of popularity during isolation.
Given that he deals with loneliness, solitude, and fear, maybe it’s not that surprising. As this tweet from the early days of the pandemic showed — we were all Edward Hopper paintings then.
There’s a lesson for all of us in that.
Paying attention to the negative space helps make the invisible, visible. And by doing that, there’s a chance to strongly connect.
Until next time 👋
Harriet