Canto IX: [no title] 1982

Editor: This is Esq Tom Phillips's "Canto IX," a print of some kind. It’s quite textured. The dark colors and obscured figures give it a very ominous feel. What can you tell me about the piece? Curator: Let's look at the materiality. The rough texture of the print and collage elements speak to a specific mode of production. How does Phillips's use of found text fragments alter the meaning conveyed by the image, considering the labour involved in their collection and integration? Editor: I hadn't considered the collage elements as labor. Curator: Exactly. And what does the visual weight of the red base suggest about the social or political foundations that may be supporting these figures? Editor: That the figures are based on some kind of production or perhaps war? Curator: Precisely. Examining the materials and their manipulation reveals deeper layers of meaning about society and power. I learned a lot looking at it that way.