Ruined Chapel, Isle of Mull 1975

Curator: Here we have John Piper’s “Ruined Chapel, Isle of Mull,” part of the Tate collection. It’s undated, but Piper lived from 1903 to 1992. Editor: It strikes me as so forlorn, those pink and white tombstones almost glowing against the somber remains of the chapel. Curator: Piper was really fascinated by the textures of decay, wasn't he? You can almost feel the rough stone and the damp air through the way he layers the inks. Editor: Definitely. And the process itself mirrors the subject. The lithographic layering – the making of the image – becomes an act of excavation, revealing the history of the place, materially and socially. Curator: Yes, he captures the wildness and the weathering so poetically. It makes you wonder about the stories held within those stones. Editor: Absolutely. Thinking about the labor involved in its construction and eventual abandonment just adds layers to that feeling. Curator: It’s a poignant meditation, really. A reminder of time's relentless march. Editor: Indeed, Piper’s work makes one think about how we assign meaning to places.