Canto XXVI: [no title] 1983

Curator: This intriguing print is by Esq Tom Phillips, part of his series "Canto XXVI." What strikes you first? Editor: The intense layering! The textures feel almost geological, like looking into the earth itself. Curator: Phillips' process often involves layering imagery and text, engaging with found objects and altering them. The interplay feels very self-aware, almost a meta-commentary on image making. Editor: Right, it’s labor-intensive. Look how he subverts traditional landscape by breaking it apart, reassembling it into this almost nightmarish bloom. Curator: The original Victorian novel that Phillips used as his base text becomes a palimpsest, questioning what is lost and what is gained when we repurpose existing narratives. Editor: The use of repurposed material is key; it's about challenging the notion of originality in our consumer culture. Curator: Seeing how Phillips actively intervened in the image and text gives me a deeper appreciation for the layers of meaning at play. Editor: It's that tension, the pushing and pulling of material and concept, that makes this piece resonate.