Border Tile 1885

This is a ceramic Border Tile, created by J. and J. G. Low Art Tile Works. The monochromatic tile presents us with the dynamic symmetry of zebra stripes disrupting a cracked, hazy background. This fracturing of space and form draws us into a visual game. The stripes, sharp and confident, challenge our perception of depth. The cracks, like veins, spread across the surface, giving the piece an aged, almost archaeological feel, as if unearthed from the past. This juxtaposition of the animal and the archaeological creates a tension, destabilizing our understanding of nature and history. The tile's texture invites a semiotic interpretation: the stripes representing the wild, untamed, while the cracks suggest a fragility, a breaking down of the natural order. Perhaps the intent of this work is to question the relationship between the constructed and the organic, prompting us to reconsider how we assign value to both the natural world and our own artistic interventions. The cracks and striations function as a philosophical statement, inviting us to question fixed meanings and embrace ongoing interpretation.