Figure and Ground: Static Version

The phenomena of figure and ground, wherein we can extract meaning from a static array of shapes by bringing a subset of those shapes or ‘spatial-relations’ into connection in our minds so that they form a familiar, recognizable pattern, is usually exemplified by a black and white silhouette such as the above.

The point ‘made’ is that the ‘figure’ is not ‘innate’ in what we are looking at, but is something that we fabricate with our mind.    That point is underscored by the fact that we can see this pattern either as a black figure on a white ground (a saxaphone player) or as a white figure on a black background (a woman’s face).  (more…)