The 2nd Day of the Creation 1925

Curator: I am drawn in, as always, by the raw power, the implied noise... a beautiful tumult, all in black and white. Editor: Indeed. This is M.C. Escher's "The 2nd Day of the Creation," created in 1925. We see the moment, according to Genesis, when the waters are divided, an expanse created. It's an ink engraving, relying heavily on line work, as we'd expect from Escher. Curator: That’s interesting—dividing the waters. What strikes me first is the incredible texture he achieves. Look at those waves, the obsessive, almost frenetic linework! The rain too, so straight and severe in contrast to the swirling chaos of the sea. Did he ever even *see* the ocean? It feels…imagined. Editor: Well, the "imagined" aspect connects with his broader approach. Although it's an image depicting a specific biblical creation event, Escher likely utilized his early landscapes and symbolic elements to construct this "day." What interests me, though, is the industrial element inherent in printmaking itself. Think of the physical labor, the carving, the reproduction... it adds another layer to this creation story. Curator: I hadn’t considered the labour! Yes, that intense repetition echoes the ongoing, generative act of creation itself. Each print an enactment of Genesis. And despite the starkness, the lack of color, I feel the moisture, the energy of it. He has really captured that primordial sense. It's somehow incredibly calming and incredibly terrifying. Editor: It’s this balance—between precision and feeling, between labor and imagination—that really encapsulates the strength and impact of his vision in rendering such subjects. We are confronted with nature, spirit, and production as inseparable facets of the creative process. Curator: I am changed, my view is always shifting, like the sea below! Editor: A rewarding intersection of thought.