Abstract 1925 - 1929

Ruth Esther Penington made this abstract print using monochrome blocks to carve out shapes and textures. The stark contrast evokes a strong sense of visual tension. The composition relies on a powerful interplay between solid, dark areas and sharply defined white shapes. Look how Penington contrasts the organic shapes with the geometric forms. The eye is drawn to the textured patterns, each carefully incised to create different rhythms and densities, disrupting any sense of fixed perspective. This abstract style, typical of the early to mid-20th century, challenges traditional representation. The artist uses a semiotic approach; each element acts as a sign, inviting viewers to decode the artwork's underlying structure. It destabilizes established visual languages, encouraging new ways of seeing and interpreting space and form. Notice the interplay between positive and negative space. This is not merely decorative but fundamental. The way Penington has structured this artwork questions fixed meanings. Instead, she opens up a field of continuous interpretation.