Blown Poppies c. 1920

Curator: Lily Blatherwick’s "Blown Poppies" presents us with an intriguing exploration of form. The stark contrast, almost violent application, commands our immediate attention. Editor: It does feel incredibly visceral. The process seems subtractive, as if the image was excavated rather than constructed, like a relief. Curator: Precisely. Notice how the composition uses the interplay of positive and negative space. The poppy heads emerge as ghostly orbs amidst dense textures. Editor: I am curious about the material properties used. The stark blacks suggest a deeply layered printmaking technique. The artist manipulates tone and density to create depth and suggest forms of the poppy. What does this work say about the culture of printmaking at the time? Curator: I appreciate your material reading. Perhaps Blatherwick is inviting us to see the decay inherent in beauty. Editor: I like the tension between the medium's inherent permanence and the fleeting nature of the subject. Curator: Yes, indeed. The transience captured through laborious process.