Spoil Bank Crucifix 1919

Editor: This is Eric Gill's "Spoil Bank Crucifix," a wood engraving. The stark contrast and the labor involved in carving the wood give it a powerful, almost industrial feel. What's your take on it? Curator: Well, it's interesting to consider the 'spoil bank' in relation to the crucifixion. Spoil banks are waste material, a byproduct of extraction. Gill's choice links spiritual suffering to the material costs of industry and labor. Editor: So you're saying the setting isn't just scenery; it's a statement about the cost of progress? Curator: Precisely! It forces us to consider the broader context of production, consumption, and even sacrifice. Editor: I never considered it that way before. Seeing the art as connected to industry transforms how I see it. Curator: Indeed, it pushes us to reconsider the traditional divisions between art, labor, and spirituality.