Landscape XXXIV 1998

Evan Summer created this etching titled Landscape XXXIV. Here, architectural forms emerge from a desolate landscape. The ziggurat, a terraced step pyramid, dominates the foreground. Ziggurats were ancient Mesopotamian temples, immense structures symbolizing a bridge between heaven and earth. These stair-stepped structures, like the Tower of Babel, appear across cultures, evoking a primal desire to ascend and connect with the divine. The severe geometry set against the soft, textured hills creates a visual tension. This juxtaposition might reflect our ongoing struggle to impose order on the natural world, a psychological battle played out in stone and ink. Such images can be seen as a visual echo of humanity's quest for meaning and transcendence. These forms remind us that even in the most modern expressions, ancient symbols and subconscious drives continue to shape our artistic vision.