Dimensions: image: 593 x 963 mm
Copyright: © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein/DACS 2014 | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Roy Lichtenstein's "Entablature VI," from the Tate collection. I find its architectural motifs, stark lines, and bright colors quite bold. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Lichtenstein's Entablatures, appropriating classical architecture, challenge the very notion of authenticity and authorship within art. How does the commodification of ancient forms reflect contemporary society's relationship with its own history? Editor: That's fascinating. So, it's less about the beauty of classical architecture and more about what its reproduction says about us? Curator: Exactly! It forces us to confront the social and political implications inherent in artistic creation. Art becomes a mirror reflecting power dynamics and challenging established norms. Editor: I never thought of it that way; it is quite subversive for what looks like a simple, decorative piece. Curator: Indeed. It's a potent commentary disguised as decorative art, making it all the more effective in sparking critical thought.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lichtenstein-entablature-vi-p78376
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Entablatures, the title of this series of prints, is an architectural term, referring to the decorative mouldings placed above the columns of classical buildings. While the shapes of the mouldings are still recognisable, Lichtenstein simplifies and stylises them in such a way that they seem to parody the austere, abstract stripes of certain Minimalist paintings of the 1960s and 70s. The embossed surface of the prints highlights the oscillation between an illusion of three-dimensions and the flat picture plane. Gallery label, September 2004