Meru III 1964

Curator: William Tucker’s “Meru III” in the Tate collection presents a fascinating study in form and material. Its dimensions are roughly 93 by 178 by 34 centimeters. Editor: It's like a giant's toy, a pastel slide that leads nowhere. I get this odd sense of playfulness combined with absolute stillness. Curator: The smooth, almost plastic-like surface is actually fiberglass. Tucker pushes against the traditional notions of sculpture by embracing industrial materials. Editor: Fiberglass… it feels like it should be cold, clinical almost, but that light blue softens it, gives it an almost dreamlike quality. Like a memory of a playground. Curator: The "Meru" series marks Tucker's shift towards more abstract, monumental forms. It explores the relationship between positive and negative space, echoing minimalist concerns. Editor: For me, it transcends minimalism. It’s got this weird emotional heft, like it’s guarding some secret, a silent sentinel of forgotten joy. Curator: Perhaps its value is precisely in how it repurposes industrial material, opening possibilities for mass production of art. Editor: Or maybe it's just a beautiful, strange thing that makes you stop and wonder. Both, I suppose!