The Power, Symbolism and History of Red

The colour red is an important signifier, and the quest for red pigments has a long history that involves trade, piracy, war, espionage, exploration and international intrigue. Jane Raffan chats with anthropologist Dr Judith Philp, Senior Curator at the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, about the ways humans have exploited pigments, people and habitats to make the colour red.

Interview I

Interview II

Mark Rothko Four Darks in Red, 1958. Courtesy Whitney Museum of Art, NYC, USA and Tate Modern, London, UK.