Monterde 1980

Editor: This is "Monterde" by Valerie Thornton, a print from the Tate collection. It shows a densely packed town under a looming hill. I'm struck by how the buildings seem to almost climb on top of each other. What's your interpretation? Curator: It's interesting how Thornton uses the print medium to depict the architecture. The textures and tones give a sense of a historical place, perhaps even a fortified one, consider how the town is presented as a collective entity, almost defiant in its close-knit structure. What statement do you think the artist is trying to make? Editor: Maybe it’s about the enduring nature of communities clinging to tradition? Curator: Precisely! And it also prompts us to think about the socio-political dynamics inherent in these landscapes, how power structures shaped the environment, and how communities navigated those forces. Food for thought, isn't it?