Broken Missile 1980

Curator: Here we have Peter Kennard’s “Broken Missile,” a photorealist artwork in the Tate collection. It's a potent image, isn’t it? Editor: Absolutely, the visual punch is immediate. That stark contrast, the broken missile piercing the peace symbol. It’s almost violently ironic. Curator: Kennard produced much of his work in response to the political climate of the 70s and 80s, particularly nuclear proliferation. It’s a direct confrontation with the military-industrial complex. Editor: And the brokenness, so central to its message, feels both defeated and defiant. I can feel a mix of anger and hope radiating from it. Curator: It's a visual outcry, designed to awaken a public numbed by the endless rhetoric of the Cold War. Editor: Decades later, it's a potent reminder that the struggle for peace and disarmament is never truly over. Curator: Indeed, Kennard's work urges us to stay engaged, to question power. Editor: Well, seeing it now, it's clear that these messages continue to resonate.