Occam's razor is in reference to a principle named after William of Ockham, a 14th-century logician and theologian. The razor is the instrument for distinguishing between two hypothetical explanations for a phenomenon. It can be used to "shave away" unnecessary assumptions or cut apart two similar conclusions. Fundamentally, it means that the simplest explanation is preferable to a more complex one. Panyoczki takes this theory into painting, as his byline for simplifying complicated things. This idea can be used to explain why his work hovers between representation and abstraction, often aided by investigations of the digital realm. - Linda Tyler