Saphan 1969

Editor: This is Omar Rayo's "Saphan," created in 1969. It’s a really striking Op Art piece, and I’m immediately drawn to the way the blue geometric shapes seem to float against the green background. It almost vibrates. What stands out to you when you look at this artwork? Curator: What a marvelous visual construction! The pattern, to me, reads like a complex system of meaning-making. Notice how the interlocking forms evoke the imagery of labyrinths. Editor: Labyrinths? Interesting. I mostly saw a maze-like pattern. Curator: Precisely! Mazes and labyrinths, symbolically, often represent life's journey, choices, and the search for meaning. Do you think Rayo was referencing ancient visual symbols? This shape reminds me of meanders and geometric designs used in ancient Greek art. These often featured on pottery and architecture, serving as both decoration and symbolic representations of infinity and the cyclical nature of life. Editor: So, he's potentially using a very old symbol to create a very modern effect? Curator: Absolutely! The juxtaposition creates tension. What does it mean to use something so rooted in the past for something that felt so futuristic and of-the-moment in the 60s? Is Rayo making a comment on cultural memory or maybe on how we are more connected to the past than we think? The title itself – Saphan – could allude to bridges. Do you feel this way too? Editor: Yes, the visual language connects, suggesting a passage between worlds... or perhaps eras. I am amazed at how shapes can carry so much. Thank you. Curator: A pleasure. "Saphan" seems to pose important questions. And hopefully, it's inspiring viewers to actively engage with art's symbolic language!