“S” is for Snake

“S” is for Snake (Glyph Drawing No. 2) continues the iterative exploration of geometric abstraction. The composition alters just a few select shapes from the previous drawing, flipping, dividing, and adding triangles to subtly transform the picture. Pictorial shapes begin to emerge, as the black, glyph-like figure suggests typography and/or a snake against the white ground. Across cultures and time, humans have relied on art, symbols, and written language to codify and communicate experience; the snake, in particular, has often served as a potent signifier, simultaneously representing danger, wisdom, transformation, or renewal. By abstracting this figure into a glyph, the work engages the dynamic between signifier and the signified, acknowledging both the historical and cultural weight of such symbols while maintaining ambiguity.

The playful title acknowledges the occasional impulse to “name” what one sees, as viewers might think, “that looks like a snake,” much as one finds shapes in clouds. The work reflects on the balance between formal structure and perceptual suggestion, maintaining a conversational relationship between artist, artwork, and viewer without prescribing meaning. These shifts in recognition and the associations they bring can subtly alter emotional response — sometimes tipping from neutral to unsettling or humorous — quietly reinforcing the work’s psychological presence.