Uncovering the enlightened memories of ultraviolet

Have you ever wondered why the shade of ultraviolet has such a uniquely tethered relationship to memory? Walter Benjamin believed that it was because “like ultraviolet rays, memory reveals to each person in the book of life a script that invisibly and prophetically glosses the text”. Benjamin was not the only one to notice that the colour possessed such a quality.

When nominating the shade for 2018’s Colour of the Year, PANTONE highlighted how “enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance”. Citing the distinct and richly captivating aesthetics of Prince, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix, as some of the hue’s most historically prominent moments of exposure in pop culture. They noted that the shade added a further layer of visual differentiation to those figures who were masters of “personal expressions of individuality”. 

Whatever the artistic motivations for centering his latest shoot on the hue, Lukas Senger has created a photoseries that evokes a pang of solemn intimacy that is sure to last long in the memory.

Credits

Photography: Lukas Senger

Styling: Natalia Witschke