Gravitation 1952

Curator: This lithograph is M.C. Escher's "Gravitation," created in 1952. Editor: Well, my first impression is... unsettling, yet mesmerizing. It's this burst of almost biological shapes crammed into severe geometry. Makes me feel claustrophobic. Curator: Indeed. Escher’s work often plays with paradoxical perspectives and impossible spaces, very much influenced by mannerism even at this point in his career. You see how the reptilian figures are contained within a stellated polyhedron? This tension is really central. Editor: The stellated polyhedron almost appears to be piercing these lizard-like creatures, and their coloring only adds to the surreal quality of the image. Can we delve a bit into the symbology of that polyhedron? Is it cultural? Is it scientific? Curator: That's a key point. Escher was fascinated with geometric forms and how they related to perception. The stellated polyhedron, for instance, appears in various cultural contexts - in religion and the occult - signifying enlightenment or the cosmos. Editor: I see a deliberate attempt to portray not just geometric form but to invoke a certain... unease? It looks like this almost perfectly ordered system barely contains these vibrant, twisting figures. Almost as if they’re pushing back, struggling against their confines. Curator: And in a way they are. He wasn't overtly political but there is definitely a feeling here of resistance, or tension between imposed structures and something more primal or instinctual. That makes one wonder if there may have been political factors to the choice of the polyhedron and organic shapes as subjects, given that he was living through post-war Europe. Editor: Exactly. That could explain a feeling of entrapment mixed with desperate freedom, perhaps a feeling so widespread during that particular historical and political climate. This piece suddenly resonates much deeper. The use of colors amplifies the psychological intensity as well. Curator: Colors, form, theme - they all interlock in this very iconic, carefully executed statement piece by Escher. It’s no accident, everything plays a role. Editor: A fascinating piece and the tension that he created with geometry and organic form offers insight into both its artistic impact and potential emotional significance of "Gravitation."