Study for ‘The Control Room, Civil Defence Headquarters’ c. 1942

Curator: This is William Roberts' 'Study for "The Control Room, Civil Defence Headquarters"'. It's a pencil sketch, currently residing in the Tate Collections. Editor: My immediate impression is one of organized chaos. The grid underlying the figures seems to both contain and highlight the tension in the scene. Curator: Indeed. Roberts was deeply concerned with the role of technology and the human figure in the face of modern warfare. This sketch likely reflects the social anxieties of the time. Editor: I am struck by the shapes, the almost robotic rendering of the human form. It's like a commentary on the dehumanizing effects of war, reduced to functions. Curator: Roberts, having witnessed the horrors of World War I, often depicted figures as mechanized forms, possibly to comment on the individual's role within larger systems. Editor: The composition is also intriguing. The figures are clustered, yet each seems isolated in their task, emphasizing the fragmented nature of modern experience. Curator: The sketch offers a glimpse into the preparedness and, perhaps, the futility felt during times of civil unrest. Editor: A powerful preliminary work, revealing how formal choices can underscore profound social concerns.