Jergens explores complex relationships between abstract composition and observed reality, with a particular concern for the way the mind processes optical data. Early in his career, he invented a personal style of entirely abstract form. More recently, he has incorporated aspects of immediate physical reality, but without becoming a “realist.” Primarily concerned with formal composition, Jergens uses his knowledge of optics and perspective to create extremely subtle and sophisticated compositions, in which shapes appear to turn and rotate in space. In recent years, Jergens has become increasingly fascinated by the complexity of nature, the principal inspiration for the intricate surface patterns on his paintings. These patterns often suggest living plants or objects under extreme magnification, which obscures the object’s identity and reveals the inherent beauty of its abstract structure.