In Hospital, England c. 1917

Curator: This is Claude Shepperson's "In Hospital, England," held at the Tate Collections. It's hard to date precisely. Editor: It's stark, almost ghostly. The monochrome amplifies the feeling of clinical detachment despite the human suffering depicted. Curator: Shepperson's work frequently engages with social realities. Here, we see the institutional context of wartime medical care, raising questions about the politics of care. Editor: Absolutely. The composition—the rows of beds, the statue looming in the background—speaks to the scale of the conflict and the almost industrial approach to healing. There's a powerful commentary on the individual lost within the collective. Curator: It makes you consider how narratives of trauma and resilience intersect within these environments, highlighting the gendered roles and the often-unacknowledged labor within medical institutions. Editor: I find myself thinking about the unseen narratives, the individual stories obscured by the broader narrative of war and institutional care. Curator: Indeed. It’s a stark reminder of the human cost, made poignant by Shepperson's delicate touch. Editor: A sobering yet important depiction of a difficult reality.