[no title] 1976 - 1977

Curator: This intriguing print by Joe Tilson resides in the Tate collection, though it lacks a specific title. It presents a fascinating visual puzzle of symbols and textures. Editor: It feels like a lunar landscape viewed through blueprints, doesn't it? The rigid, geometric patterns juxtaposed with the ethereal moon imagery create a really interesting tension. Curator: Absolutely. The stark blue grid and precise lettering—"Oceanus/Tethys"—along the right edge establish a rigorous formal structure, countered by the almost dreamlike imagery. Editor: The "moon" itself, suspended by those delicate lines, calls to mind ancient lunar symbolism, charting time and tides, maybe even unconscious realms. Curator: Indeed. Tilson often explored the relationship between the objective world, represented here by the grid, and subjective experience, symbolized perhaps by the "ladder." Editor: The layering of symbols—ladder, moon, geometric shapes—gives a sense of searching, reaching for something just beyond grasp. It invites multiple interpretations. Curator: It does, and the contrast between the mechanical and the mystical provides an entry point into Tilson's broader exploration of modern life. Editor: In the end, it's a quiet work that whispers about vastness and mystery in very controlled and intentional terms.