Alpine Coil [Knots] 2009

Sarah Morris made this ‘Alpine Coil [Knots]’ with silkscreen, pulling ink meticulously through a mesh to create these graphic shapes. The way the bands of colour sit next to each other, all bright and clean edged, it’s as if she’s figured out a recipe for pure visual energy! I find the relationship between the shapes so compelling, how these curved bands contrast with the straight lines, and how the colours vibrate against one another. Look at the bright pink loop as it weaves in and out of the green and black circles; it really makes my eyes dance. And there’s something so deliberate about the way she’s laid down each block of colour, almost like she's building a structure. It's a bit like some of Bridget Riley’s Op Art, yet Morris’s work feels more like a system, or an information graphic. Ultimately, the best art doesn’t give you all the answers; it invites you to ask more questions.