Regular Division of The Plane VI 1957

Editor: We're looking at M.C. Escher's "Regular Division of the Plane VI" from 1957, a print featuring interlocking lizard-like creatures in black and white. It's quite mesmerizing! What do you see in this piece beyond the obvious visual trickery? Curator: I see a commentary on structure and order, but also on boundaries and difference. Consider the era – mid-century, defined by post-war anxieties and emerging civil rights movements. How do you interpret Escher’s meticulous ordering within this historical context? The black and white creatures, perpetually chasing and being chased, they speak to this fraught moment in history. Editor: So, the lizards almost become symbols? Do you mean symbols of social hierarchies? Curator: Absolutely. Look at how the forms merge and separate, creating a visual push-and-pull. Think about societal integration versus segregation. Escher, through this tessellation, creates a closed system where movement is possible, yet constrained by its own rules, by its very construction. Editor: It's interesting to consider how what appears to be a playful geometric pattern could also reflect social and political tension. It seems to address race without talking about it directly. Curator: Precisely. Escher’s "Regular Division" prompts us to question the apparent neutrality of formal systems. Are they truly objective, or do they reflect and reinforce existing power dynamics? The ambiguity of foreground and background also adds a layer to the question of visibility. Editor: Wow, I had not considered these levels when thinking of tessellations. Thank you! Curator: And thank you! Thinking about how this work fits into wider intersectional narratives makes it all the more interesting.