Dimensions: support: 1022 x 2070 mm frame: 1248 x 2280 x 90
Copyright: © Tate | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Edward Burra’s "Soldiers at Rye," and it's a very large watercolor. There's something both grotesque and playful about the figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Burra's work often reveals a fascination with marginalized figures, hinting at an engagement with the social and political complexities of his time. How do these masked figures, seemingly engaged in some sort of ritual, speak to the anxieties around identity and performance of masculinity during the interwar period? Editor: So, these aren't just soldiers relaxing; they're embodying anxieties about societal roles? Curator: Precisely. Consider the grotesque distortion of their bodies, almost caricatures, amidst a backdrop suggestive of both conflict and theatre. What does this juxtaposition tell us about the artist's commentary on the military and its impact on the individual? Editor: I never considered the theatrical aspect before. Thanks, I'm walking away with a whole new perspective. Curator: And hopefully, a deeper interrogation of art’s role in mirroring and challenging social norms.
Comments
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
Rye, a picturesque town near the south coast of England, was Burra’s life-long home. During the war it became a centre for military activity. Soldiers are turned into nightmarish birdmen, recalling the Surrealist paintings of German artist Max Ernst. Burra was also interested in sixteenth-century English poetry. The bright colours and stylised dress of the soldiers might suggest courtly combat. Such ideas of brutality and heroism are offset by an emphasis of the figures’ musculature, introducing a sexual tension to the scene. Gallery label, August 2021
CollectMore like this
