Sheep’s Head 1955

Editor: This is Peter Coker’s "Sheep’s Head," a chalk and pastel drawing. It's stark and quite unsettling. What can you tell me about its place within art history? Curator: Coker's work often explored themes of mortality and consumption, reflecting postwar anxieties. Consider the cultural context: meat was both a staple and a symbol of prosperity, yet also tied to the realities of slaughter and decay. How do you think the public might have received such an image? Editor: I imagine it would have been quite confrontational. It challenges romantic notions of rural life. Curator: Precisely. It's a deliberate disruption. Coker uses this imagery to make a statement about society’s relationship with food, death, and perhaps even the darker aspects of human nature. Editor: It definitely gives me a lot to think about! Curator: Indeed. It speaks volumes about the public role of art.