Companioned 1949

Editor: This woodcut print from 1949, called "Companioned" by Helen West Heller, strikes me as incredibly symbolic. There’s such a contrast between the geometric patterns in the background and the organic shapes of the figure and skull. What layers do you see within this piece? Curator: That contrast is key. The graphic patterns create a fragmented space, reflecting the disruptions and anxieties of the post-war era. I see a powerful intersection of personal loss and broader social upheaval. The figure embracing what appears to be a horse’s skull - is it about human relationships or is Heller showing us the loss of the natural world at the time, replaced with synthetic patterns, as she critiques industrial progress? Editor: The skull is so prominent, yet there's a tenderness in the embrace. What about the symbolism of death alongside such apparent affection? Curator: Precisely. Heller’s activism often centered on the interconnectedness of life and death, humanity and nature. Consider also who has traditionally been allowed into artistic canons, what narratives are historically privileged, versus who, and what, are erased. The embrace perhaps suggests solidarity with the marginalized, even in death. The skull, representing death and precarity, is a direct link to the land that the man inhabits. Editor: I hadn’t considered it from a perspective of solidarity or artistic canons, the piece feels far more impactful. How much of the context would someone at the time would see here? Curator: That's an important question! People would feel the impact as personal. Now we view the images as deeply layered with sociopolitical context. Editor: Thinking about it that way, the personal becomes political. Thanks for opening that up for me. Curator: Exactly. Art allows us to interpret, critique and reflect.