[no title] 1976 - 1977

Editor: This piece, "Alchera," by Joe Tilson, created between 1970 and 1974, presents as a kind of botanical chart. The words are intriguing, but the format makes me think of a game. What connections do you see here? Curator: The dedication "to Eros & Orpheus," invites us into a rich symbolic field. Tilson is not just cataloging, but evoking primal creative forces. Notice the color swatches. What feelings do they evoke when paired with their plants? Editor: I see how "Hawthorn" is paired with black and white; it feels stark. "Willow" has green, so it feels more expected, I guess. Curator: Exactly! Consider the title: "Alchera" refers to the dreaming in Aboriginal culture. Tilson interweaves Western and indigenous creation myths. It shows how symbols persist across cultures and time. Editor: That's so cool. It makes you think about the deeper connections between nature, myth, and art. Curator: Indeed. It reveals how one can draw on our shared cultural memory when representing the natural world.