Shapes Movement H 1984

Here we see "Shapes Movement H," by Robert Goodnough, with a multitude of tiny triangles creating larger cloud-like forms. These shapes, pointing in every direction, echo the arrows and chevrons found in ancient art. Consider the zigzags on Minoan pottery or the arrow formations in Roman military standards. These symbols were not merely decorative; they conveyed direction, power, and even divine will. The triangle itself, a basic building block, has been used across cultures to represent everything from the Holy Trinity to the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. In Goodnough's work, the sheer number of triangles creates a sense of dynamism and instability. This recalls the psychological unease of facing chaotic forces. It mirrors a sense of potential energy, like a flock of birds taking flight or a cascade of dominoes about to fall. These simple shapes are laden with the weight of history, resurfacing in new forms to stir our collective memory.