Untitled 1961

This print was created by Glen Alps, but its title and date are unknown. What we see here are textured rectangles, with one that looks like a horizon line or a fallen tree branch. The rectangles, standing as pillars or perhaps abstracted figures, remind us of ancient stelae or standing stones, markers of time and memory. This vertical orientation carries echoes of Egyptian obelisks and classical columns, symbols of power, stability and the human aspiration towards the heavens. Meanwhile, the horizontal form evokes a sense of grounding or mortality. Think about the way a tree, a symbol of life, falls and decays, returning to the earth to nurture new growth. This image also touches on themes of destruction and regeneration, mirroring the cyclical nature of life itself. How has this fallen form shifted in meaning? The subconscious processes surrounding the image are like powerful forces. It is a continuous dialogue between past and present, and the way symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings through different eras.