Figure with Hand (I Am Made Dizzy by a Carpet of Rose-Petals...) 1973

Sigmar Polke created "Figure with Hand (I Am Made Dizzy by a Carpet of Rose-Petals...)" using screen printing. Here, we see a composition dominated by a vivid blue field, overlaid with a darker, almost shadowy square. This square contains a large hand looming over a tiny figure. The tension between the macro and micro creates a sense of unease. The hand, rendered in dark tones, seems to both protect and threaten the minuscule figure below. Polke uses the silkscreen process to build layers of meaning through repetition and superimposition, thus creating a textured surface that invites closer inspection. The work's title adds another layer of irony, juxtaposing the romantic imagery of rose petals with the potentially ominous visual elements. Polke destabilizes fixed meanings by layering visual and textual elements. The effect is a complex semiotic system of signs and symbols that challenges our perception and teases apart cultural codes.