Portrait head 

Eileen Agar’s ‘Portrait Head’ is rendered through a collage of geometric and organic forms. Note the eyes scattered across the subject’s face. In cultures across the globe, the eye is a potent symbol, often associated with surveillance, protection, or spiritual insight. From ancient Egyptian art, where the Eye of Horus warded off evil, to the Cyclops of Greek mythology and its singular, all-seeing gaze, the symbolism of the eye has echoed through time. In Agar's composition, it appears both playful and unsettling. This juxtaposition reminds us of the deep-seated, often contradictory emotions that visual symbols evoke, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. Through the surrealist lens of Agar, the eye resurfaces, a powerful and multivalent symbol, continually evolving, its significance shaped by the ever-shifting sands of cultural memory.