Purple Reigns Art, History, and the Divisive Charm of a Colour ep 128

Modern Art is Rubbish

In this episode of Modern Art is Rubbish, we dive into the captivating world of purple—the colour of royalty, mystery, and, surprisingly, controversy! We start with a playful homage to Prince’s iconic Purple Rain and explore his lifelong love affair with this majestic hue. From prehistoric cave art to Tyrian purple’s snail-powered luxury, we uncover the colour’s rich history and its associations with wealth, power, and spirituality.

But purple isn’t loved by all! We share wild Reddit stories, including a shocking tale of a high-school art teacher convinced her student’s use of purple symbolised deep psychological distress. Then, we explore the vibrant role of purple in art, spotlighting Claude Monet’s Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect and Mark Rothko’s meditative Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown).

Whether you’re Team Purple or find it “awkward and unsure of itself,” this episode reveals why this enigmatic colour has inspired artists, ruled empires, and stirred strong opinions throughout history.

Listen now to discover why purple reigns supreme—or does it?

Untitled (Blue, Green, and Brown) Mark Rothko 1952

Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect, Claude Monet

Extra!

At the start of episode we mentioned the work of the artist Poppy Baynham

You can follow her instagram here via this link and listen to the previous episode here we did where we discussed her art here in a not to be missed in a controversial art in windows episode!

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