Cyclops 1973 - 1974

Curator: Elisabeth Frink’s Cyclops presents us with more than just a mythical creature; it's a stark interrogation of power and vulnerability. Editor: Whoa, it’s like a bad dream I once had. That huge figure looming, with those sheep-people freaking out below. Chilling. Curator: Absolutely. Frink’s engagement with themes of masculinity, often critiqued through a lens of violence, finds a potent expression here. The one-eyed giant, rendered in such raw lines, stands as a symbol of oppressive force. Editor: The guy looks seriously unstable. And the way she's drawn those figures underneath... they're caught between human and animal, like their identities are being swallowed up. Curator: Precisely. This piece resonates with post-war anxieties, reflecting on the brutal realities of conflict and the dehumanization that often accompanies it. Editor: I get this primal scream kind of feeling from it. Makes you think about who gets to be the monster, and who gets to be the… lunch. Curator: Indeed. It's a challenge to our perceptions, a potent reminder of the power dynamics shaping our world. Editor: Thanks. Now I’m going to need something fluffy and cute to look at… Curator: Fair enough. It’s a challenging image, and perhaps that's precisely its point.