Since the earliest days of cinema, film has been a colourful medium and art form. More than 230 film colour processes have been devised in the course of film history, often in close connection with photography. In this regard, both media institutionalised numerous techniques such as hand and stencil colouring as well as printing and halftone processes. Apart from these fundamental connections in terms of the technology of colour processes, film and photography also share and exchange colour attributions and aesthetics.

This publication highlights material aspects of colour in photography and film, while also investigating the relationship of historical film colours and present-day photography. Works of contemporary photographers and artists who reflect on technological and culture-theoretical aspects of the material of colour underline these relations. Thematic clusters focus on aesthetic and technological parallels, including fashion and identity, abstraction and experiment, politics, exoticism, and travel.

Color Mania contains a general introduction to colour in film and photography (technique, materiality, aesthetics) as well as a series of short essays that take a closer look at specific aspects. An extensive image section illustrates the texts and colour systems and continues the aesthetic experience of the various processes and objects in book form.