Dimensions: support: 702 x 1000 mm
Copyright: © Trevor Bell | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: Trevor Bell's "Beached" presents a striking juxtaposition of form and void in monochrome. The support measures 702 by 1000 mm. Editor: It feels quite weighty for something so minimal, the dark mass presses down, almost suffocating the white space. Curator: Indeed, the work's title hints at themes of displacement, perhaps reflecting on island identity and the migrant experience. Editor: The visible brushstrokes really convey the immediacy of the artist’s hand, the materiality of ink on paper is so evident. Curator: I see a commentary on environmental concerns too; the stranded form could represent ecological devastation and the erasure of communities. Editor: Considering the materials, I wonder about the cost of production here, and the labour involved in creating this sense of stark isolation. Curator: It offers a lens through which we can explore both personal and collective narratives of vulnerability. Editor: It really makes one contemplate what labour went into such a minimalist piece.
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Beached 2007 is one of eight abstract works on paper in Tate’s collection that were created by the English artist Trevor Bell between 1988 and 2007 (Tate T13397–8, T13400–5). In it, a diagonal thick black line sits atop a large area of grey wash that ends in a curve at the bottom of the paper, as if balancing on it. A roughly painted black line with a slight curve rises from the bottom right-hand side and leans against the grey shape. The monochromatic marks are picked out starkly in black and grey against the white of the paper.
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