Wallington, Clock Tower 1975

Curator: This is Julian Trevelyan's "Wallington, Clock Tower," held in the Tate Collections. What strikes you about it? Editor: It's so whimsical! Those almost cartoonish clouds, the scratchy trees—it's like a dreamscape version of an English village. Curator: Trevelyan was known for his surrealist leanings, even dipping into collage. This print almost feels like one. Editor: The way the clock tower is centered gives it this civic importance, but the overall impression is playful, not solemn. Curator: He was very interested in the public role of art, using it to depict everyday scenes and structures. Editor: It's funny, it makes me want to wind that clock tower up and see what happens in this little world. Curator: An invitation, perhaps, to look beyond the surface and see the quirky charm in the mundane. Editor: Exactly. A reminder that even a clock tower can be a portal to somewhere unexpected.