Portrait behind Crossbars

About the work

An oval head and the line of the shoulders remain discernible within a dense system of intersections. Broad black crossbars pass through the face and extend beyond it; fine verticals and long loops descend between them. Some areas merge into dark masses, while others retain narrow pale openings. Repeated horizontals impose a firm transverse rhythm that runs against the rounded outline of the head.

The image asks for two ways of looking: recognising features and following the independent movement of lines. Neither displaces the other. The portrait holds through its overall shape, although individual details repeatedly dissolve into the grid. Crossbars continuing into the background deny the head a separate space and make the boundary between figure and surroundings permeable.