Image Essay 9: Figure ground reversal

Figure ground reversal is an arrangement in which positive and negative shapes alternatively command attention. When shapes change from black to white continually they draw the viewers eye around the composition. As in David McNutt’s “Master Harold’…and the boys” he uses figure ground to represent a servant, a master and the continent of Africa. For our composition we were to incorporate words into our narrative pieces using figure ground reversal. In this piece with the use of figure ground reversal the first thing that one’s eye is drawn to is the black head on top of the white surface. Then when one looks closer they notice the master’s head in white, which also happens to be in the shape of the continent of Africa. As the servant’s head merges into the master’s head it changes to all black so that it is not completely lost within the master’s head, which is pure white. The use of figure ground is so important in this piece because it also helps represent the relationship between the servant and the master. For example how the servant is depicted in complete black while the master’s head is complete white and it is what surrounds the servants head. It shows that the master has the power in Africa. The use of pure white value for the outline of the master also further increases his role of dominance in this composition.