juxtaposition
n. C / Un. placing two or more things side by side to show how different they are. You often see this in art or writing to make a strong point or create a surprising effect.
n. the act or an instance of placing two or more elements side by side, typically to highlight a contrast or create a specific artistic effect.
The painting shows a striking juxtaposition of light and dark colours.
The director used the juxtaposition of loud rock music and a peaceful landscape to surprise the audience.
The novel relies heavily on the juxtaposition of the protagonist's wealthy upbringing with the extreme poverty of her new city, highlighting the stark inequalities of that society.
Borrowed from French juxtaposition, from Latin iuxtā (“near”) (from Latin iungō (“to join”)) + French position (“position”) (from Latin pōnō (“to place”)).
Frequently followed by the preposition 'of' and typically involves two contrasting elements joined by 'and' or 'with'.