Plocha a prostor/Surface and Free Play 1993

Milan Grygar made this print, Plocha a prostor/Surface and Free Play, sometime around 1993 using ink and paper. The initial impression is of solid planes, but the magic lies in the texture; the way the black ink sits on the page. When you get up close you see that the surface isn't smooth, it's almost granular. The velvety quality of the ink invites you in. The way that the paper shows through, it gives the work a kind of breathing space, a sense of openness that complicates the stark black shape. The positioning of the yellow square feels crucial. It shifts the black plane, turning it on its head. You know, it reminds me a little of early Ellsworth Kelly, in the way that simple shapes can evoke a whole world. In Grygar’s work, like Kelly’s, ambiguity is the point. It leaves space for the viewer to bring their own experiences.