2-2-1: To Dickie and Tina 1969 - 1994

Editor: So, this is Richard Serra's "2-2-1: To Dickie and Tina," a massive steel sculpture currently housed at the Tate. Its sheer size and the raw materiality of the steel are quite striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a commentary on industrial power and societal weight. Serra often used scale to confront viewers, forcing them to acknowledge the impact of industry on our physical and psychological spaces. How does its presence make you feel within this gallery setting? Editor: I feel a bit dwarfed, but also intrigued by how the planes intersect and define the space. Curator: Exactly. Serra’s work challenges the authority of traditional monuments. It questions who and what we choose to memorialize, and the imposing nature of industry and capital that often shape our lives. It is a stark reminder. Editor: That is a powerful perspective. I had not considered the work in that context. Curator: Art can be a mirror reflecting back our own complicity and engagement with these larger structures. Hopefully you'll take that expanded understanding into your own work.