Summation 1947

Arshile Gorky, in his Summation, presents us with a field of biomorphic forms, rendered in muted tones that evoke a dreamlike state. These shapes hint at figures and faces, yet resist concrete identification, drawing us into a space of subconscious exploration. Consider the single eye motif that appears across cultures and eras. From ancient Egyptian iconography to the Cyclops of Greek myth, the eye symbolizes perception, knowledge, and often, a hidden or divine power. In Gorky's work, the eyes, though abstracted, retain this symbolic weight, suggesting a gaze that penetrates beyond the surface. Such symbols are not static. They evolve, transmute, and resurface in unexpected forms. This image resonates with our collective unconscious, a deep well of archetypes and primordial symbols that influence our understanding and stir our emotions. Through art like this, we engage with the past, not as a linear progression, but as a cyclical return of potent visual ideas, perpetually reborn.