Cycle 1938

M.C. Escher made this lithograph, Cycle, where the process is the point. It’s a dance between what’s real and what’s not, a push-and-pull that reminds me a lot of my own painting process. The joy of this piece lies in its texture. Look at how Escher uses hatching and cross-hatching to create a sense of depth and shadow. There’s a tangible feel to the stone blocks and the tessellated figures at the base. The figures transform in a beautifully disorienting way as you move from the top to the bottom of the frame. It's a constant shifting of perspective that keeps you guessing and challenges your sense of space. Like Sol Lewitt, Escher’s work opens a space of imagination. Both artists share a similar interest in the generative potential of systems and rules, creating work that transcends the sum of their parts.