Opposites – Complementary Colours
Today’s theme is “opposites”. I chose to interpret this topic in my own way. Often, opposites are complementary. As with complementary colours. Complementary colours are made of opposite colours in the spectrum: violet and yellow. Green and red (as in the above picture of a poppy in the Somme, where we celebrated the centenary of the Battle. The Somme is also the place where half of my family comes from). Orange and blue. The picture on the right tells all.
Often, what we think are opposites aren’t really contradictory. When we assemble them, they tend to mean something different. They do enhance each other.
To an extent, it is similar with people. And ethnical groups. And cultures. And creeds.
Go tell that to Nigel Farage (who by the way and very ironically, has a French name [pronounced Fa/eraaaa’g’e] because he is probably of French Huguenot descent) and see how he feels. Bloody French!
Last week was bad news for Europe. And Britain. But it doesn’t matter. Love is stronger than hatred. Opposites get well together.
Blue and Orange complementary colours in Cheverny (Loire Valley).
Violet and yellow complementary colours with this mural on a derelict bunker leftover from WWII in Le Havre.
- An Afternoon With Vincent Van Gogh - August 2, 2023
- Dutch angle and Dutch tulips - July 20, 2023
- She Dances Alone – Casa de Argentina en Paris - May 31, 2023
Related posts
11 Comments
You must log in to post a comment.

Beautiful! I love poppies…
Thank you so much
Then you should like this too
https://flic.kr/p/Hyqt1P
And you can browse from there the sublime poppy fields of Picardy.
[…] Opposites – Complementary Colours – the Antimuseum in Paris (and beyond) […]
[…] Opposites – Complementary Colours – the Antimuseum in Paris (and beyond) […]
[…] Opposites – Complementary Colours – the Antimuseum in Paris (and beyond) […]
I was (almost irrationally) distraught when I heard the news about Britain’s vote, Yann — because of the political and economic turmoil that would ensue, of course, but mostly because of what the vote symbolized.
I wish it were as easy to see in people as it is in your photos that sometimes what seems like an opposite can actually be complementary … and that when you put them together they bring out each others’ vibrancy.
We’re living in distressing times, I’m afraid. But you say: Love is stronger than hatred. May unity and brotherhood and cooperation prevail.
Thanks Heather. Thinks may end up better than one thinks. Theresa May will most probably be chosen as PM in September and then she’ll probably do it the English way by trying to stay and leave at the same time and it all might well end up with a situation similar to that of Norway or Switzerland which in fact isn’t far from the current situation. Time will tell. Keeping fingers crossed.
Your friend in Minnesota has her fingers crossed, too!
Great photos. I am curious, did you already know the existence of the bunker mural before the photo challenge (and so thought to use it) or did you only find it after you were looking for a subject?
Hi there, thanks for your comment and sorry about the late response. As a matter of fact, I almost always have my camera with me. Which means that my library keeps being fed with new pictures all the time. http://flickr.com/yag for more details. As a result whenever a challenge comes in all I have to do is browse my pictures and find one or several of them which fit the theme. As an entrepreneur, I am obviously very busy and I have seldom time for fun during business days. Besides, business days extend way into my weekends. Hope this helps.
Linda! Beautiful!