The Anesthesiologist 1972

Editor: This is Barry Flanagan's "The Anesthesiologist," an undated print in the Tate collections. It's a stark image, very minimal, with a sense of unease. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a potent commentary on power dynamics within the medical establishment. Consider the anesthetized patient, vulnerable, juxtaposed with the authoritative figure of the doctor. Editor: So, you're saying it's about the imbalance of power? Curator: Precisely. The simplicity of the line work almost makes it feel like a diagram, stripping away emotional context to reveal the cold realities of medical procedures and the potential for systemic abuse. Does this resonate with your own reading? Editor: It does, that diagrammatic reading is very powerful, I see it now. Curator: The visual language speaks volumes about the patient’s loss of agency, and the doctor’s detached role.