The positivity found in negative space. Not an expose into a pessimist turned around, but rather, the exploration of a concept referenced in art, design, and psychology (to name a few) that when unpacked can be used as a tool to foster creativity, innovation, and build momentum.
Negative space, or what I will interchangeably call, empty space, is actually a place where great positivity can be found.
What is negative space?
In art and design – negative space is the empty area around and between the subjects of an image. Think a burst of many colours, with a plain black or white. In Japanese language, negative space is given its own term, ‘ma’, and is used in gardening and landscapes as a principle to balance the fullness of positive spaces. Negative space in these contexts is ‘a place to rest the eyes’.
In psychology – the empty space between things, perceived and interpreted by both the conscious and subconscious.
A place to rest the eyes, or the mind, or extrapolated to speak little and listen, is a positive intent indeed.
I think each of us has our own version of negative space – where we take moments away from the fullness of positive spaces – busy commutes, to do lists, priorities and plans, and more, not to be negative, but a little emptier.
What’s the coolest negative space I’ve ever seen?
The most stunning use of negative space I’ve ever seen was at the Dia Art Foundation – and specifically Dia Beacon – in upstate New York on the Hudson river.
The Dia Art Foundation uses once positive spaces of the past (industrial buildings, of a time and place and contribution to the communities they were in) to house contemporary art collections. A cool concept in itself.
And it was at Dia Beacon where I saw the work of American artist, Michael Heizer, entitled ‘North East South West’. Michael’s work was installed against the brick and glass façade of a former 1929 printing factory of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) were 4 shapes falling away into black, dark caverns of empty space.
The photo shown below does not do Heizer’s work, nor the feeling of calmness, curiosity and questioning that the negative space conjured. But it helps you visualise for a moment what a negative space is about in the literal sense. And knowing what the printing factory in its heyday would’ve been – of hustle, bustle, noise and smell – makes for a fascinating juxtaposition of emptiness. Of quiet. And to me, it’s the negative space that allows the elevation of memories that are not your own, so as to consider how this place might have been. And that is a powerful use of negative space to trigger imagination.
Where does positivity come from negative space?
Negative, or empty space,can act as a circuit breaker to clutter, to the hamster wheel, to the cortisol hits of busyness. I think we need more negative space in our lives!
Every person (even the most positive) we talk to right now is grappling with being overwhelmed and navigating a tide of variables – positive and challenging – driving growth, leading, learning, changing, planning, and strategising.
Over-simplifying, so much stuff currently fills our days and spaces, that a bit more negative (or as I’ll interchange with ‘empty’) space is just what we need in the kit bag.
How does negative space live in a work context?
In the interest of promoting negative space, I give just 3 pros and 3 cons on using it in work contexts – to prompt further investigation!
The Pros
- Negative space is where we can think, and think bigger.
With too much clutter, even if our minds are fast moving, we cannot make the right links. Connections get missed – sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle. Negative space is where we can think – individually, collectively, differently, bigger.
- Negative space can be a protective mechanism to navigate complexity and clutter; and overcome fatigues
When hear people navigating complexity, simplicity always wins the day. Negative space – time to think, more brain real estate – is a protective mechanism that can create forward momentum.
- Negative space creates room for different voices
If each one of us actively tried to create a little more negative space, we’d be open to hear different voices more often. This is voices beyond the dominant and beyond our own, which enrich our thinking and creativity.
The Cons
- Negative space – when overused can be (or be perceived to be) a void or vacuum e.g., ‘lack of comms’
Too often we hear people point to ‘a lack of comms’ or information coming ‘on a needs to know basis’. Empty space, if overused in communicating around plans and people, can be seen negatively as a void or vacuum. And this may lead to people filling the empty space with narratives and messages that are far away from the reality or usefulness.
- It’s hard to create negative space, in space that was once filled
The physical examples of this aka Dia Beacon and Heizer’s work, is not a great example. However, we are not good at creating empty space where it was once filled. When we take a system away, we tempted to add one (or more) back. As we reset priorities, often the lost grows, rather than shrinks.
- There’s a reticence of leaders using negative space – to listen, to let other voices come forward, for fear of ‘not leading’ or ‘indecision’.
We are hardwired as leaders to fill the room, to speak, to shape, to lead. We are not taught to create negative space. To stop, listen, let others come forward. Negative space is not an indecisive leader. In fact, it’s a leader with confidence and care for their people and space for them to speak and be heard.
Negative or empty space used well is far from a negative concept, it can be used with great positivity.
Emptiness, space, the holding of tension with moments of quiet in a more challenging conversation, a pause, is not to be feared at work. It is to be better understood, to be safeguarded, and to be cherished.
Negative space does not mean negativity. Empty air does not mean a person has lesser capacity to think or do. In fact, they have more capacity.
The idea is simple. Actively seek to create a positive moment with a little more negative or empty space. You’ll be amazed what it will illuminate.
