Tom Raworth 1972

Editor: So, this is Barry Flanagan's "Tom Raworth," a small etching from the Tate collection. It's incredibly spare, almost skeletal. What do you make of such minimal representation? Curator: I see a deliberate engagement with the politics of portraiture. Flanagan, known for his sculptures, offers here a raw, almost irreverent, depiction of Raworth. Consider who commissions portraits, and how this subverts those power dynamics. Editor: Irreverent, how so? Curator: It lacks the flattering idealization common in official portraits. This sketch, with its visible lines and seeming incompleteness, positions Raworth not as a figure of authority, but as an individual caught in a moment. How does this casual depiction affect your perception of Raworth? Editor: It makes him feel more accessible, more human. I hadn't considered the power dynamics at play. Thanks!