Escape 1938

Joseph Vogel's screenprint, "Escape," gives us a puzzle in color, shape and texture. The way Vogel builds up this image, it feels like the art-making process itself is a form of escape. Look at the blue figure with the eye on the side of its face – a direct gaze that seems to be watching us. The surface is layered with translucent planes, creating depth, as if we could fall into the image. See that curious horizon line, made of thin, transparent lines? It scratches across the paper, hinting at some kind of structure or boundary, and adding another layer of complexity. Vogel's work reminds me of Stuart Davis, another artist who loved to play with abstraction and representation. Both invite us to see the world in new ways, to find joy in the unexpected. "Escape" isn't about answers; it's about opening up a space for imagination, inviting us to dream.