this week in (negative space).

Many movements in art can be seen as reactions to one another.  This week, I am pretty sure the same can be said for my blog posts.  Last week’s post on maximalism was a little out of my comfort zone, so I figured this week I ought to switch back to something that’s more my cup of tea.  As such, I started listening to some more minimal music and checking out clothes from my favorite minimal, edited designers.  Besides having a minimal aesthetic, though, both the clothes and music that caught my attention made great use of negative space.

I saw these sunglasses by Maison Martin Margiela about a year ago, but they just recently became available for purchase.  While all these shades have classic frames, you’ll soon notice that they contain misfit lenses.  

Images via Mr. Porter.

While I originally thought that these were just goofy, I have grown to appreciate their subtle design.  In particular, I love the use of the negative space where the lenses don’t touch the frames.  Even though I don’t think I can put my finger on exactly what it is that makes these work, I definitely find the slivers of negative space to be visually satisfying.  I think it would have been very easy for Margiela to simply stick square lenses or circular lenses into these frames, but the effect would not be the same.  As with all of this brand’s pieces, careful editing and attention to detail remain paramount, and the results are fantastic.  I will admit that the $600.00 price tag is a little steep, but these are certainly a statement piece.

Even though I had forgotten about these sunglasses until recently, I have been following the release of the new Kate Bush album, 50 Words For Snow for some time now  (I wrote a post about the lead single several weeks ago).  The album comes out tomorrow, but you can stream it now in its entirety at NPR. 

Image via Fish People.

What you’ll first notice about the album is that the first three songs run a total of 35 minutes.  Furthermore, they are very slow and composed almost entirely on the piano.  As such, they take some patience to get into, but the payoff is worth it.  What stood out the most to me, though, was Bush’s use of negative space, a technique she first employed heavily on her last album, Director’s Cut.  On “Lake Tahoe” and “Misty” in particular, Bush really lets her compositions breathe.  To enhance this effect, she uses brief moments of silence and and glacial pacing to create subtle drama.  Most notably, nine minutes into “Lake Tahoe,” the piano momentarily stops, and Bush exhales, creating one of the most satisfying moments in music I have heard in years.

Would you wear these sunglasses?

Do you think the designs are amateur or clever?

Can you think of any other songs that effectively use moments of silence?

Where have you seen a smart use of negative space this week?