03.10 Quadrilaterals - symmetrical and asymmetrical

Rectangles and their perfect forms, squares, are easily found as literal forms in man-made environments. They are highly unusual, implied or literal, in the natural world.

Just as ellipses have a special relationship with circles, where ellipses are commonly interpreted as circles viewed at an angle not perpendicular to their plane; so do members in the group of symmetrical quadrilaterals.

Rectangles (including squares)
These are only seen as such when viewed along the central axis: a line passing through the exact centre of the shape running perpendicular to its plane.

Parallelograms
These are observed when rectangles are viewed on a perpendicular plane passing through the diagonal corners.

Trapezoids
These are observed when rectangles are viewed on a perpendicular plane bisecting two opposite sides.

Asymmetric quadrilaterals
These are seen when rectangles are viewed along axes not passing through a point of symmetry. They would likely be resolved as two triangles.

Thus not only are the points of a rectangle highly constrained in composition, but the angle of its viewing is too. Precision is of utmost importance when taking an image of a rectangle, as misalignments with the image frame are glaringly obvious. As a possible consequence of the due care required, deployment of rectangular elements lend a sense of formality, of controlled structure; and slightly less so with trapezoids and parallelograms.

Jean-Michel Folon's 'Partir' (2002), Giardino delle Rose, Oltrarno, Florence

Photograph Copyright ©2013 Loo Yen Yeo. All Rights Reserved.

Concepts: Frames within frames (enhancing perspective); Quadrilaterals (rectangle)

Description: Jean-Michel Folon's 'Partir' (2002) in the Garden of Roses was specifically created to frame a view. But what changes elevates this above cliché, is that we are witnessing the relationship a viewer (the young lady) has with a work of art. The outer frame in portrait orientation creates steep diagonals with the landscape-orientated briefcase and base, giving a stronger feeling of depth. The slightly formal feel to this composition is because there is only one axis along which the installation can be seen as a true rectangle.

Title: It's A Perfect Day