Canto XXII: [no title] 1982

Curator: This is Esq Tom Phillips' "Canto XXII", held in the Tate Collections; it presents as a deeply textural print. Editor: Wow, my initial reaction is…claustrophobia. It’s dark, almost oppressive, like peering into a crowded, dimly lit space where you can barely make out the figures. Curator: Phillips' work often explores the intersection of text and image, and this piece, though abstract, invites us to consider the obscured narratives within Dante's Inferno, specifically Canto XXII. We see the demons. Editor: It feels haunted, like a memory struggling to surface. The figures are just glimmers, suggestions of form within the darkness. I can almost feel the weight of that underworld. Curator: Absolutely. The strategic use of black ink and texture creates a sense of unease, reflecting the moral complexities presented in Dante’s depiction of hell, a world where all is lost. Editor: I suppose this artwork reminds us that the darkest depths can still have tiny sparks of light. A visual interpretation of hope, however small. Curator: Precisely. It's a powerful commentary on history, faith, and the shadows that linger within us all. Editor: It certainly gives you a lot to think about. What does darkness actually mean?