Four Blues Two Discs 1970

Patrick Heron created this print titled 'Four Blues Two Discs' using silkscreen techniques, playing with the interplay of shape and color. The composition is immediately striking for its simplicity: a dominant field of deep blue is punctuated by lighter blue geometric forms. These include two rounded discs and a rectangular shape that sit adjacent to the solid blue. Heron’s strategic use of color and shape demonstrates his deep engagement with formalist principles, emphasizing pure visual relationships over representational content. The work invites us to consider how color alone can evoke spatial depth and emotional response. The discs seem to float, their edges softly contrasting with the surrounding darker blue. This piece destabilizes the traditional figure-ground relationship, challenging viewers to find meaning not in what is depicted, but in how it is depicted. Ultimately, "Four Blues Two Discs" functions as a testament to the power of abstraction, inviting ongoing interpretation and a re-evaluation of our aesthetic criteria.