The phrase “Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue” comes from a series of abstract paintings by artist Barnett Newman [Wikipedia: Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue]. It’s not meant to be literal; fear isn’t the point.
Here’s some information about the paintings:
- There are four large paintings in the series, created between 1966 and 1970.
- The title is a play on the famous play “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
- The paintings are known for their bold use of primary colors – red, yellow, and blue.
- They are abstract, with big fields of color interrupted by vertical stripes.
Some people found the paintings strange or even upsetting, which is why the artist used the word “afraid” in the title. But the paintings are meant to evoke emotions and inspire thought, not to scare anyone.