Well Done! 1987

Curator: I see a rather bizarre setup: a frying pan perched precariously over what looks like a crown of fire, all sitting atop a crate labeled "Produce of Kenya." Editor: Indeed. What strikes me first is its playful tension—that brightly coloured "flame" supporting the mundane reality of a frying pan and a piece of red meat. It’s unsettling but also humorous. Curator: You’re right, there’s a definite wit here. This is "Well Done!" by Bill Woodrow, part of the Tate collection. Woodrow is known for transforming discarded materials into thought-provoking sculptures. Editor: The materiality itself speaks volumes. The contrast between the wooden crate, the cold steel of the pan, and that almost cartoonish representation of cooked meat creates a fascinating semiotic interplay. It's a critique of consumption, perhaps? Curator: I think you’re onto something. The title itself is loaded, a double entendre. Is it about the meat being cooked well, or is it a comment on a job well done, maybe related to global trade? Editor: Or even a judgment on ourselves—"well done" for our destructive habits. It’s a potent, layered work, far beyond its initially whimsical appearance.