Interior, Hammersmith 1946

Editor: This is Julian Trevelyan's "Interior, Hammersmith." I find the domestic scene dreamlike, almost surreal, with its floating fish. What historical context informs this image? Curator: Trevelyan, active mid-20th century, engaged with Surrealism and Mass Observation. Consider the social context: post-war Britain, rebuilding, but also a longing for escape. Does that fish represent freedom or a displaced reality? Editor: I see the dreamlike quality now. The fish could symbolize both hope and a break from reality. Curator: Exactly. And how does the interior space itself – the domestic sphere – play into gender roles and expectations of that era? It's a very personal reflection on the space and time. Editor: It seems like the domestic setting is being redefined, not just a space of constraint, but one of imagination. Thanks, I hadn't thought of it that way.