Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Art - Essay Example Within this outline there is a square gold pattern, with elaborate corners and mid-line embellishments. This part of the design encloses a dark center area within which dark and light blue patterns are woven, along with four larger, flower-lile motifs with bright white outlines and dark brown centers. Two interlocking eight point stars make up the centrepiece, one in light gold and one in light blue, with a small light blue dot and petal-like surround forming exactly the middle of the tile. All of these figures form concentric shapes around the tiny dot in the middle. There is a very tight design principle at work in this tile. All of the angles and proportions are carefully measured so that the whole piece has a four, eight and twelve-fold structure. There is a geometric logic behind the stars, and the four quarters reflect each other bringing great harmony and unity to the overall design. Within this extreme regularity there is also considerable low key variation. The use of fragments of tile within the dark blue and brown color blocks breaks these parts up, and gives them a quirky, interesting texture. Against this broken surface, the pure white sections appear startlingly solid and bright, and draw the eye to the four central flower motifs and the pinpoint in the middle which is surrounded with a petal-like ring of white. These shapes are not realistic depictions of actual flowers, but more like generic indicators of living forms. Likewise, the geometric features incorporate curves as well as straight lines, giving this piece an intriguing mixture of mathematical and biological connotations. The use of contrast is key to this piece, and this reflects the likely use of this tile on a wall or floor, adjacent to other similar or perhaps identical tiles, so that the patterning can extend in ever growing circles as each tile link s to the next. There is obvious wear on the surface of the tile, but in spite of