By Bob Tedder • I suppose there are few folks associated with the Woodstock Generation who are not familiar with the graphic art of M.C. Escher. His work was often prominently displayed in local head shops and hazy dorm rooms where appreciative critics intoned a litany of extended “wow’s,” reverential “far outs” and the mandatory, sagacious “Heavy man, heavy.” Now as that generation settles into the aged and mellow caramelized world of comforting caffeine, it is more than appropriate that Escher joins them at the local coffee shop. No better vehicle for this proposition exists than Taschen Publication’s 2001 edition of “M.C. Escher: The Graphic Work.”
This compact 9- by 7-inch volume contains all the easily recognized prints commonly associated with Escher. There are 76 separate etchings, each occupying one page. The prints are organized chronologically within 10 separate categories and chronicle the artist’s achievements from 1928 through 1961. For those familiar with Escher’s work the category titles themselves will bring smiles of recognition, while even the most jaded neophyte must be intrigued by the subjects. Some titles are self-explanatory, e.g. “Reflections in Water” or “Smaller and Smaller,” while others require more thought to visualize, e.g. “Glide Reflexion” or “Irregular Fillings of Plane Surfaces.”
Regardless, the prints are endlessly fascinating and may be individually considered while ignoring the book’s singularly irritating flaw: The captions for the illustrations are all at the front of the book. The placement in itself does not adulterate the images in their presented singular glory. Ostensibly this is a good thing, but in this instance the captions – like the introduction itself – were written by Escher. This makes it difficult for the reader to match artistic insight with artistic execution, without an incessant and wearying flipping of pages. This point, of course, is rendered moot when you simply grab a cup of coffee and marvel at Escher’s drawings. They truly are “heavy man.”