Ceilings
whisper. When
I
paint
ceilings
for
clients,
I
often
mix
a
very
light
tint
of
the
wall
color
for
the
ceiling
color.
As
long
as
there
is
no
other
white
coloring
in
the
room
-
for
instance,
the
trim
painted
white
-
this
tint
of
the
wall
color
actually
looks
white…well,
almost
white.
As
I
try
to
find
words
to
describe
the
subtle
harmonization
between
the
walls
and
a
ceiling
that
has
been
painted
in
this
way,
the
phrase
that
came
to
mind
is
that
the
ceiling
is
a
white
whisper
of
the
walls.
And
that’s
when
I
discovered
that
ceilings
whisper. Why
are
ceilings
so
often
painted
white?
Other
than
because
it
takes
a
keen
color
sense
to
harmonize
ceiling
and
wall
colors,
it
is
because
white
is
the
color
of
whispering. If
roofs
are
for
laughter,
then,
ceilings
whisper.
The
principle
is
one
of
levity.
A
loud
ceiling
would
make
us
feel
imprisoned.
Sometimes
ceilings
are
painted
black—theater
ceilings,
for
instance.
But
this
does
not
contradict.
A
black
ceiling
disappears.
It
is
even
quieter
than
a
white
ceiling.
But
what
of
the
vaulted
ceiling
of
a
Gothic
cathedral?
What
of
the
Sistine
Chapel?
No
doubt,
these
are
not
quiet
ceilings.
But
neither
do
they
make
you
want
to
shout.
Such
ceilings
are
merely
of
a
different
mode
of
whispering.
They
whisper
with
the
hushed
voice
of
awe
and
wonder.
They
speak
of
“unseen
things
above,”
things
spoken
of
only
hesitantly.
In
fact,
rooms
with
high
ceilings
encourage
whispering
more
so
than
shouting. Even
dramatic
ceilings
whisper.
Several
years
ago,
I
painted
a
dining
room
which
had
an
oak-beamed
tray
ceiling.
I
painted
a
bronze-powder
based,
gold
wash
on
top
of
yellow
ochre
walls.
I
painted
the
ceiling
a
deep
blue.
Framed
by
the
oak-beam
trays,
the
ceiling
hinted
at
a
night
sky—dramatic?
…for
sure!
But
loud?
…no.
This
ceiling
whispers
the
whisper
of
lying
on
a
grassy
lawn
late
at
night,
looking
up
into
the
night
sky. Finally,
there
is
the
“whispering
dome.”
A
whispering
dome
is
one
which,
because
of
the
peculiar
acoustics
of
the
space,
allows
a
person
standing
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
room
to
hear
what
is
whispered
by
the
person
standing
directly
across
from
her
on
the
other
side.
The
whisper
travels
across
the
room. This
virtual
dome
of
the
Last
Performance,
with
its
many
lenses,
is
like
a
virtual
“whispering
dome.”
=> info | Construct a last
Exhibition: The Last Performance [dot org] @ Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt