Three Standing Forms c. 20th century

Curator: Graham Sutherland’s "Three Standing Forms" presents a compelling visual puzzle, doesn't it? Editor: Striking, certainly. The stark orange ground, the interplay of black geometric shapes... it's quite assertive. Curator: Sutherland, born in 1903, engaged deeply with the socio-political landscape of his time. His wartime experiences shaped his art, finding the beauty and threat within the organic. Editor: I'm drawn to the rhythmic quality of the forms themselves. The attenuated limbs, the suggestion of a figure on the left wearing a conical hat—it reminds me of Picasso. Curator: Sutherland’s works echoed the angst of the war, reflecting a landscape altered by conflict. They became metaphors for human resilience in the face of adversity. Editor: The tension between abstraction and figuration is palpable. The sharp contrasts and simplified shapes create a sense of unease, yet also intrigue. I will keep coming back to look again and again. Curator: Yes, looking at this artwork from Harvard Art Museums, it is a reminder that we may find ourselves, whether beautiful or dangerous, in the things that stand before us.