Valentine 1981

Editor: This is Barry Flanagan's "Valentine," a print from an unknown date in the Tate collection. It's a simple composition, but the stark red and green create a very striking effect, like a bold symbol. What symbols jump out at you? Curator: The reclining nude, of course, is a recurring motif in art history, often representing beauty, vulnerability, or even the artist's muse. But the heart-shaped bed... Do you see how the artist has reduced these forms to their most basic essence? Editor: I see that now. It's almost diagrammatic. Curator: Precisely! Flanagan simplifies the iconic, inviting us to reconsider the deeper, more primal emotions connected with love. What do these stark colours evoke for you? Editor: A kind of raw energy, maybe? I hadn't considered the historical weight of the nude figure before. Curator: Art history is full of recurring themes. The fun is tracing how artists play with and subvert these tropes.