Ju-Jitsu 1913

Editor: Here we have David Bomberg’s "Ju-Jitsu," painted in 1913. It’s an oil on canvas, and I'm immediately struck by how fragmented it is. What do you see in this piece, beyond the geometric chaos? Curator: I see a potent response to the anxieties of modernity, particularly anxieties around the body, power, and control in a rapidly changing society. Bomberg, working within a Futurist-influenced Cubist idiom, seems to be using the subject of Ju-Jitsu to explore these tensions. Consider the historical context: early 20th-century England was grappling with shifts in gender roles, class structures, and the rise of industrialization. Does this piece, to you, seem to glorify or critique that era's ideas about the body? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it in terms of anxiety, but the fragmented figures now suggest a kind of instability, a loss of control. I'm not sure if it is glorifying. Perhaps the abstraction makes it hard to read it either way. Curator: Precisely! The abstraction itself becomes a commentary. Bomberg isn't simply depicting Ju-Jitsu; he’s dissecting the power dynamics at play. Notice how the geometric forms almost become weapons themselves, aggressively cutting through the canvas. He creates a visual language for expressing underlying social dynamics and challenges. What do you make of the limited color palette? Editor: It's interesting, the browns and greys seem very grounded, almost industrial, yet the splashes of blue and red offer a hint of violence or maybe even hope. Curator: Exactly. Color is also used politically. It shows how supposedly 'neutral' aesthetic choices can also function as ideological ones, consciously or unconsciously reflecting and reinforcing prevailing social hierarchies. Editor: I see what you mean! I didn't realize a painting like this could have so much to say about the culture of its time. Curator: Art always has something to say about the culture of its time. Looking closer reveals many more dimensions to this fascinating piece.