Sea Forms 1949

Editor: So, this is William Turnbull's "Sea Forms," from the Tate collection, its date is unknown and the material looks like ink on paper. The textures are quite striking. What can you tell me about the making of this work? Curator: The application of ink here, almost like rubbing or blotting, suggests a deliberate engagement with the materiality of the medium itself, challenging traditional notions of artistic skill. How do you see that relating to its subject matter? Editor: Well, the title suggests the sea, but the marks seem almost like industrial diagrams overlaid on natural forms. Curator: Precisely. Turnbull seems interested in exposing the labor involved in representation, the act of translating observed reality through industrial or scientific processes. It makes you wonder about the social and political context of representing nature at this time. Editor: That’s fascinating, it makes me look at the work with a completely different perspective. Curator: Indeed, it is about understanding what went into the art from a production standpoint.