GLOSSARY OF GREEN
A snapshot from our research library of books, images, videos and more - materials that continue to inspire and shape the studio’s work and direction.
The studio’s name comes from grænn,
the Icelandic word for green
1.1. Page from Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours (1814)
1.2. Colour chart from Code Universel des couleurs
The human eye sees more shades of green than any other colour
1.3. The Colours, film by Iranian Film Director Abbas Kiarostami (1967)
1.4. Green landscape, North Iceland
chlorophyll
the green pigment in plants, essential for photosynthesis
glaucous
of a dull greyish-green or blue colour
greenhouse
a building usually made of glass for growing plants
green fingers
to describe someone with a talent for gardening
glasagarður
literal translation - glass garden
apple green
chartreuse
emerald
forest green
mint
olive
sage
sea green
1.5. - 1.7. Varying shades of greens in nature
'Allt er vænt sem vel er grænt'
Green holds a great significance to us both. I grew up in a green house quite literally. It was painted an odd shade of green that my mother would get specially mixed from a Dulux paint machine in Homebase. Both of my parents are green fingered, and encouraged me to spend my childhood weeding and growing on my own patch at the allotment or digging in the garden surrounded by our chickens. We would drive from inner city Birmingham out to the countryside, exploring National Trust parks and Botanic gardens. Across the North Atlantic ocean and North Sea, my partner Björgvin was also forging his relationship with nature, in the dense woods of Denmark and climbing through lava fields covered in moss and up the mighty mountains of Iceland. When I asked what green meant to him he replied, 'Allt er vænt sem vel er grænt' - a saying that doesn't translate well to English but is along the lines of 'everything rich in green is a delight'. Although widely different surroundings, the common thread that we share, a love for nature can be attributed to these early memories, being encouraged to appreciate, explore and respect what nature has to offer.
1.8. La couvée, Nils Udo, 2018 © Fondation Carmignac
1.9. The green window bay at Kettles Yard, Cambridge
2.0. Green arrangement by Cynthia Fan
2.1. Artist David Hockney
2.2. Moss covered lava fields in Iceland, the shade of green shifts throughout the year
