Negative-Space Hearts

As much as I love cloud computing, my search for an image to go along with a post about it lead me to discover something way, way cooler. Perhaps influenced by some mystical after-image from reading E. Po's last post, I learned of my unnerving affinity for the negative-space heart.

Part of me is tempted to make a cool analysis about the heart as a symbol for love and how love is the interface between two people but has no actual matter. Part of me wants to prove, with God=Love and a little transitive property, that negative-space hearts are positively divine. Most of me doesn't.

Most of me wants to leave these wonders of nature to the realm of mystery and awe. How majestic a moment it is, be it day or night, to suddenly find oneself awakened to the formation of such a figure! What Providence, what appearance of Asha, what clarity!

Perhaps the examination of an example might prove how the accidental qualities of these formations is really the most important reason why negative-space hearts are so amazing. Take this majestic negative-space heart at right. It's beautiful! The picture seems taken as if from the perspective of the discoverer who, having just realized that it's possible to create this form with his own hands, blinks from the shock, resulting in this image that will permanently be lodged in his memory as the turning point in his life: The Great Awakening to the Wonders of the World. This image inspires me to be tomorrow more than I am today; it leads me to believe that simply being open to accident and chance is the best way to do so.

On the other hand (yes, punsters, yes), problems begin to arise when this wonder falls victim to greedy, clever douchebags who over-think everything and try to capitalize on nice people who are open to beauty. Take this negative-space heart for example. I found it on an adoption website, and it totally sucks. All of the wonder is gone. Clearly, one person had to think to themselves, "Self, I should try to recreate that wonderful feeling I had when I discovered that my hands could form a heart and try to make that experience better by filtering it through ME. I must convince someone to help me make a bigger, better negative-space heart." What a jerk! I feel bad for the hands making the V portion, because they're totally taking it on this one.

So maybe I don't like all negative-space hearts. But most of them are great. Most of them surprise and delight with the deft of a delicate tickle. I hope you like them, too.

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