Mind Crystal 1946

Forrest Bess's Mind Crystal is a complex arrangement of symbols rendered in paint. Here, a cluster of vertical, colorful lines is set against a stark white background, framed by a dark field and a yellow, text-covered arc. The vertical lines, reminiscent of ancient standing stones or even cityscapes, evoke a sense of structure and order. One is reminded of the Tower of Babel, a symbol of humanity’s ambition and the ensuing chaos of incomprehension. Yet, unlike the Tower, Bess's arrangement is harmonious, even crystalline. This cluster of color is contained, almost protected, by the stark white space around it. It has echoes of mandalas, symbolic tools used to focus attention. The black on one side and the yellow motif on the other, create a tension between darkness and light. Through Bess’s unique visual language, one senses a deep, subconscious striving for balance. The mind, after all, seeks equilibrium, and what we have here is not just a picture but an artifact of that very quest.