Periphery 1924

Mikuláš Galanda created this compelling print, ‘Periphery,’ using stark contrasts of black ink on a light background. The composition immediately strikes us with its fragmented shapes and high contrast between light and shadow. This artwork simplifies form to its bare essentials. Galanda’s use of coarse textures and shadow blurs the distinction between objects, pushing representational boundaries. Notice the silhouetted figure and the dark, patterned background. What do these visual cues suggest about the relationship between presence and absence? The reduction of details emphasizes the essence of form, evoking existential ideas of isolation. ‘Periphery’ invites us to consider how the physical world shapes our psychological experiences. Its abstract vocabulary embodies the modernist challenge to fixed meanings. As you reflect on the print, consider how its formal qualities express feelings of alienation and uncertainty which still resonate with us today.