The Tongue 1985

Curator: This is Wolf Vostell's etching, "The Tongue," now housed in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of unease. The frenetic lines and distorted forms feel almost violently expressive. Curator: Vostell was a key figure in the Fluxus movement, using art to challenge societal norms. This print, with its chaotic energy, aligns with Fluxus's anti-establishment stance. Editor: The 'tongue' seems less an organ of taste or speech and more a symbol of something grotesque, perhaps representing the ugly truths we often avoid confronting. Is it a commentary on political rhetoric? Curator: Possibly. Vostell often incorporated mass media imagery into his work, critiquing consumerism and the spectacle of modern life, so it can also be interpreted as an opposition to this excess. Editor: Ultimately, the piece leaves me with more questions than answers. Which is, perhaps, precisely the point. Curator: Exactly. It's a powerful example of how art can provoke discomfort and challenge our perceptions.