This prism art graphic embodies the concept of eternal dualities, drawing the viewer into a visual journey of contrast, transformation, and balance. At its core, the image presents a striking juxtaposition between black and white, symbolizing the fundamental forces of life: light and darkness, good and evil, creation and destruction. These dualities, which shape the fabric of existence, are not just opposites but deeply interconnected forces, forever entwined in an eternal dance.

At first glance, the image appears simple, a clean black-and-white graphic with coloured lines, each side starkly divided by a precise line. Yet, as with life, the surface offers only a fraction of the truth. The image invites a deeper exploration, a closer examination, especially when viewed through the lens of light and colour.

When you place a prism before this image and adjust the focal distance and angle just right, a profound transformation occurs. On the left side, where darkness reigns, the colours converge into vibrant shades of yellow and blue as shown in the graphic below. This convergence of colour hints at the idea that even in darkness, light is present, waiting to be revealed. On the right side, where white dominates, the colours shift and condense into cyan and red, reminding us that in light, there is also a presence of shadow, of tension, and contrast.

But this is only the beginning of the visual journey. You might be saying, but the words on the top are still coloured. This is true, but that is because this graphic is a 2-in-1. The graphic, like the dualities it symbolizes, is not static. When the original image is rotated 180 degrees and then viewed through a prism again, a surprising reversal takes place.

The dark side, now on the right, transforms, revealing red and cyan, and what is on the light side shifts into shades of blue and yellow as shown in the graphic below.

Although the order of the colours has changed, the left side remains blue and yellow when viewed through the prism even though the graphic has been flipped. And the colours on the right side converge to red and cyan even though the background colours are changing. This shift in colours invites the viewer to question their own perceptions. Is there something special about the left side vs right side of the prism, light vs darkness, or how the colours have been shifted?

Often people see see the world in binaries—right and wrong, black and white—but in reality, things are far more complex. Just as the image shifts when viewed from a different angle, so too do the dualities of life. They are not simple opposites, but elements of a deeper balance, one that is constantly in motion.

This inversion is symbolic of how life’s dualities are not fixed—they are fluid, shifting with perspective. Darkness and light, good and evil, joy and sorrow—all of these forces may change depending on how we choose to view them. What once seemed stable and unchanging is, in fact, dynamic and ever-evolving.

But the graphic holds one more secret. There are additional layers of duality within the images, left deliberately hidden for the viewer to discover on their own. This undisclosed mystery invites contemplation, leaving space for the imagination to explore the untold aspects of the design. In this way, the image mirrors life itself: not all truths are immediately revealed, and sometimes the most profound insights come from what we are left to uncover on our own. Hint: Change your perspective.

In its simplicity, this black-and-white graphic speaks volumes about the nature of existence, the fluidity of light and shadow, and the ever-present dance of dualities that shape our world.