White Cat II 1919

M.C. Escher made this print, White Cat II, using linoleum cut to construct an image out of black and white. The whole thing feels like a process of finding the image, bit by bit. The materiality of the piece is fascinating, isn’t it? Look at the fur of the cat! Escher makes the white of the cat using these tiny, almost frantic marks. They're like a whispered outline, a hesitant embrace of the form. It's like he’s trying to trap the cat's essence, not just its shape. I mean, you can almost feel the soft fur and the underlying musculature, right? Escher’s work is always playful, but if you want to see another artist who plays with some of the same optical illusions, check out the work of Victor Vasarely. Ultimately, art invites ambiguity and celebrates the richness of multiple viewpoints, don’t you think?