= 負空間

「三十輻共一轂，當其無，有車之用。埏埴以為器，當其無，有器之用。鑿戶牖以為室，當其無，有室之用。故有之以為利，無之以為用。」— 老子《道德經》第十一章

“We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move. We mold clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that makes the pot useful. We hammer wood for a house, but it is the inner space that makes it livable. We work with substantial, but non-being is what we use. Therefore benefit comes from what is there; Usefulness from what is not there.” — Lao Tzu ¹

Negative space refers to the empty or unmarked areas that surround and define the boundaries of objects, forms, or ideas. In visual arts and design, negative space is not merely the background; it is an active element that gives shape, balance, and meaning to the positive space (the subject itself).

常見於：painting, photography, and graphic design

Absence is not a void to be filled, but a presence that highlight the subject.

Examples

The famous FedEx logo, for example, uses negative space to form an arrow between the E and the x, subtly reinforcing the idea of movement and direction.

Another classic example is the Rubin vase (魯賓之盃), an optical illusion where the negative space around a central vase shape can also be perceived as two faces in profile.

Minimalism

Wu Wei