Mirror 2005

This is "Mirror", a sculpture by Jesus Rafael Soto, measuring 50 by 50 centimeters. Soto, who worked with industrial materials, creates the image out of many very thin vertical lines, the process seems almost obsessive. Look at the way the blue and black lines play off the white blocks which seem to float in the composition. Soto builds a sense of optical vibration, the lines shimmer before your eyes. Your perception is challenged, as you try to make sense of the patterns. What I find fascinating is the way Soto combines these precise geometric forms with the unpredictable element of the mirror. The mirror reflects back our own image, the world around us. The image is fractured by the lines around it, almost dissolving into pure abstraction. This reminds me of Bridget Riley who explored perceptual effects through abstract painting. Ultimately, Soto offers a space of experimentation, where we can question what we see and how we see it.