Minotaur Surprised while Eating 1986 - 1987

Editor: Maggi Hambling's "Minotaur Surprised While Eating" is quite striking, a large canvas depicting the creature in what appears to be a moment of carnivorous consumption. The raw materiality of the paint itself is very present. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: The focus on process is critical here. Hambling's thick application of paint, her aggressive brushwork, speaks to the physicality of both the subject and the act of creation. It foregrounds the labour involved, challenging any romantic notions of artistic inspiration. Notice how the raw meat mirrors the rawness of the paint itself. How might we interpret that relationship? Editor: That's fascinating, I hadn't considered the parallel between the materiality of the paint and the rawness of the meat. It's like she's collapsing the distance between representation and the real. Curator: Exactly. This painting forces us to confront the base materials and processes behind both art and existence.