Gestalt Principle #1: Figure-Ground

White paint? City Skyline? What is it?!

What is it?

Simultaneous figure-ground is a Gestalt principle seen in compositions that create an ambiguity between the figure and the ground of the piece, making the viewer’s mind jump between the two possibilities. In this particular composition, the viewer does not know if the figure of the piece is represented by the black or the white.

Composition Details

One reason that this piece represents this principle so well is due to the balance between the black and white spaces. If the piece were to lose this balance, an emphasis would be placed on either the black or white space (depending on how balance is lost), therefore making the piece lose its figure-ground effect. The other aspect of this composition that creates the figure-ground effect are the two squares surrounded by their respective negative space. These squares not only add focal points to the piece, but they also contribute to the overall balance of the composition as well, increasing its visual interest.