An exigent painting professor is giving his students a hard time by trying to teach them the absoluteness of colour. As most of them are constantly trying to keep up with his high expectations some of them who can’t perceive colour are being ostracised for their inability to identify the correct shades of colour… until one day when the professor himself is starting to turn colourblind.
In ‘Bridging Color‘ director Chang Hyun Park focuses on the ‘inflexibility’ and narrowness of horizons. Applying it on an educational theme makes it even more powerful. The main character is trying to teach students his own truth but he himself misses the point while preaching about it: ‘draw what you see’ he tells them.
Chang Hyun Park’s film is an allegory about the relativity of things and the diversity of perception over things. While taste can be educated perception remains mostly personal and is what assures the individuality of each person. Through educated senses perception is also what grants the originality and distinctness of each one’s own talent. It is interesting to observe that while the professor is tightly bound by his motto (‘draw what you see’) he fails to get to the wiser ‘roots’ of it which makes him barely succeed in teaching the surface of things. As soon as his ability to sense colour starts fading he is obliged to dig deeper and shift his vision in order to survive as an artist and he will only be able to do this by turning to his marginalised students and learn from them. The film is well made with dramatic twists and before anything else a meaningful message that points out one should expand their own views and adopt as wide as possible a ‘field of vision’ in order to truly master the knowledge and be able to teach others.
Ultimately, ‘Bridging Color’ is a debate about the dangers of deluding others by teaching. Knowledge improperly approached and passed forward can often become a limitation instead of an instrument to train the skills and master a field. Director Chang Hyun Park triumphs in bringing forth a very entertaining short film with dramatic twists and significant teachings.
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