Subject minimization: Blurring the line between figure & ground
In The Stairs, the man is quite visible at the bottom of the picture. But as the eyes travel up to the top of the stairs, the difference between ornamental objects and human figures become increasingly blurred. Are these men looking down at us or are these vestiges of the past? Blurring the lines between figure and ground forces viewers to re-evaluate the image a second time – and perhaps, get lost in the labyrinth of possibilities.