New book: 'Colour Theory' by Max Pinckers & Victoria Gonzalez-Figueras

Proud to present my latest project, Colour Theory with Victoria Gonzalez-Figueras.

Colour Theory is an artist book that explores the role of colour in photography, with a specific focus on the myth surrounding the use of red in National Geographic. When Kodachrome was introduced in 1936, it quickly became known for its exceptionally vibrant red tones. National Geographic photographers were among the first to embrace this new colour film, leading to an increasing glorification of colour—and red in particular. From this emerged what later became known as “The Red Shirt School of Photography”: the rumour that photographers deliberately asked people to wear red clothing to make their compositions more striking.

Often we see a figure dressed in red gazing out over a vast landscape, standing on a mountaintop or a balcony —the so-called “monarch-of-all-I-survey” pose. This recurring image in the magazine suggested a certain dominance over the landscape. Explorers, scientists, photographers, and adventurers were depicted looking out over distant, unfamiliar territories—as if admiring them as something beautiful, rich in resources, and therefore worth taking.

In a speculative guessing game about the extent to which photographers manipulated their scenes, Colour Theory brings together a selection of images from National Geographic magazines from 1936 to 2009—the lifespan of Kodachrome film—in which people could, perhaps, have been directed to wear red.

Limited edition of 300 copies, signed, stamped, and dated.
Riso printed in 4 colours by Sébastien Girard and Max Pinckers, Toulouse
Typography by Rudy Latoir
Produced by De Bedoeling vzw, Brussels
Self-published by Max Pinckers & Victoria Gonzalez-Figueras, Brussels
€65 + shipping

Colour Theory will be shown alongside my other publications at the following book fairs in the upcoming months.

You can also pick up a copy in person in Brussels on November 21, 2025 during our Open Studio Day. Please write us for more information about this.

Polycopies
12 to 16 November 2025
Concorde Atlantique - Port de Solferino
(in front of 23 quai Anatole France) Paris 7th

Tokyo Art Book Fair
11 to 14 December 2025 (Week 1)
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0022