Foliate Head 1983

Editor: This is John Piper's "Foliate Head" from the Tate collection. I’m really struck by the contrast of the natural, leafy elements with the stark, almost architectural face. What materials were used to create this interesting effect? Curator: It’s likely a screen print, focusing on the physicality of layering inks. Consider how the artist merges organic and constructed elements, and the role of the printing process in influencing this fusion, ultimately prompting the question of art's relation to nature. Editor: So, the process itself contributes to the meaning? I hadn't thought about it that way. Curator: Exactly! The materiality isn't just a vehicle for representation. It actively shapes the work's meaning. Editor: Thanks! I see so much more now. Curator: Indeed. It's about recognizing the labor embedded in the work.