[no title] 1978

Editor: This work by John Piper, currently untitled, is a dynamic sketch of a figure in red chalk and ink. It has an uneasy feel to it; I wonder, what do you see in this piece? Curator: I see the tension between vulnerability and power. Consider the gaze – is it directed outward, or inward? The lack of clear definition allows us to project our own understanding of the female form, shaped by centuries of art history dominated by the male gaze. Editor: That's a good point, so it's almost challenging that tradition. Curator: Precisely. The unfinished quality invites us to question the very act of representation and the power dynamics inherent within it. It encourages us to consider whose stories are told and how. Editor: I hadn't considered the idea of whose stories are being told. Curator: Exactly. By recognizing the social frameworks, we expand our understanding and move beyond passive spectatorship. Editor: Thank you, I will definitely use this perspective during my next visit.