The Egg 1998

Agnes Denes made this print, "The Egg", in 1996. The egg is built from tiny dots of reddish-brown ink, it’s a geometrical form but it also feels organic, like something alive. Up close you can see the subtle texture of the paper, and the way the ink sits on the surface. Each dot is carefully placed, but there’s a slight irregularity to them, a handmade quality that keeps it from feeling too mechanical. I love the way the egg seems to float in the middle of the page, surrounded by all that empty space. It makes you focus on the shape, the lines, the precision of it all. Look at the way the dots get closer together at the top and bottom of the egg, creating a sense of depth and volume. Denes’s interest in geometry and nature reminds me of Hilma af Klint, another artist who combined scientific observation with spiritual exploration. And, like Klint, Denes invites us to consider the hidden structures that underlie the world around us.