Canto XXII: [no title] 1982

Curator: This striking image, a print by Esq Tom Phillips, is titled "Canto XXII." It seems to depict a dramatic scene, perhaps infernal. Editor: Yes, "infernal" is right. The stark black and white contrast in the upper panel, giving way to vibrant color below, creates a sense of falling, then impact. Curator: Phillips, born in 1937, engages here with the visual language of comics. The material qualities of printmaking enhance the graphic power of the composition. Editor: It also reflects on Dante's themes of betrayal and punishment. These winged figures are not angels, but damned souls, caught in a cycle of violence and retribution. The labor that went into engraving these is striking. Curator: The artist uses this popular medium to explore profound moral and social questions, connecting us to centuries of artistic representations of power and suffering. Editor: I see the use of color and composition as not just illustrative but actively constructing the feeling of moral decay, of broken systems of power and material reality. Curator: It’s a powerful statement about the ongoing human struggle with darkness and the seductive pull of corruption. Editor: Absolutely, a reminder that these forces are still very much at work in our own sociopolitical landscape.