Scientists and artists have been fascinated by colour and its properties for centuries. We know that without light there is no colour; but, is colour an objective property of things, or of the light that bounces off them?

This course will explore the following beguiling questions about colour: What is synesthesia, that is, why do some people see colours when they hear music, as the artist Wassily Kandinsky did? How does a painting that consists of swaths of colour on a large canvas bring us to reflect on the sacred as Mark Rothko's paintings do? How have colours inspired poets, writers, painters, and filmmakers? Would a Wes Anderson film look the same without its daring use of colour? Why is the colorization of black and white classic movies controversial? Why do some cultures only have a handful of names for colours, and does this affect their perception of colour? What impact might this have on their experience of poetry that references colours? We will probe these and other ideas by looking at paintings, poems, and short stories, and through our core book, The World According to Color: A Cultural History, by Cambridge art historian James Fox, which majestically covers this subject from multiple angles.

Books to Purchase (will be available at Argo Bookshop during the weeks prior to the course beginning):

• • James Fox, The World According to Color: A Cultural History, (ISBN: 9781250278517)

Please note that the maximum enrollment is 16 students. TMI does not allow participants to audit courses for free.

Location: Pointe-Claire

First Session: Monday, January 13th, 2025

Course Length: 12 weeks, Mondays, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Discussion Team: Mary Allen, & another

Total Course Fee: 

$140.00 (New Students)
$140.00 (Special Bring-A-Friend Promotion: For Returning Students who bring a New Student to TMI. Register by phone.)*
$200.00 (Returning Students)**

*Note on Bring-A-Friend Promotion for Returning Students: The special 140.00 price is applied immediately if the friend, the New Student, registers first. If the New Student has not yet registered, the regular 200.00 will be charged, and the discount will be refunded when the New Student registers. The discount can also be turned into a credit for a future course.

**Includes Standard Tuition + Admin Fee.

Course fees are refundable in full before the second session. After the second session, a fee of $50 for the withdrawal will be applied. Refunds will not be issued after the third session. Please note that non-attendance does not constitute a withdrawal.

Students pursuing studies for credit are encouraged to consult with their advisers as they register for courses.

Course leaders, and students wishing to use credit vouchers, should call (514) 935-9585 to pay by phone or to schedule an appointment to pay in person.