Dimensions: object: 1006 x 1159 mm
Copyright: © The Piper Estate | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: We're looking at John Piper's "Construction," currently at the Tate. I find its geometric shapes and intersecting lines quite striking, like a blueprint for something abstract. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The painting presents a fascinating interplay of form and color. Note how Piper employs a restricted palette, yet achieves considerable depth through tonal variations and the juxtaposition of flat planes with linear elements. Editor: So the impact comes from how he balances everything? Curator: Precisely. The composition invites us to consider the relationships between these elements, the tension between surface and implied space. It offers a self-contained system of visual logic. Editor: That's a helpful way to consider it. I was too focused on looking for a hidden subject. Curator: Sometimes, the subject is the structure itself.
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tate about 2 months ago
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/piper-construction-t01026
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tate about 2 months ago
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Piper’s abstract works were made between 1934 and 1937, during the height of his involvement with the British avant-garde. At the time the British scene was heavily influenced by the works of continental artists, as was reflected in the magazine Axis on which Piper worked with his future wife Myfanwy Evans. Few of these works have survived; this one was dismantled, but was reconstructed by the artist in 1967, following a photograph and using some original elements. Gallery label, May 2007
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