[no title] 1994

Curator: This untitled photographic work by Thomas Schütte, currently held in the Tate Collections, immediately strikes a rather unsettling tone, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, the stark contrast and the figures' expressions… it’s viscerally disturbing. The use of red pigment splashed across one face evokes a strong sense of violence and defacement. Curator: Indeed. Consider how masks and faces function historically – they are both revealers and concealers. Here, Schütte seems to be dismantling the idea of a stable identity. What cultural anxieties might he be tapping into? Editor: I suspect Schütte may be probing at contemporary political theater. The exaggerated features almost caricature figures of power. Curator: And the second figure? A sort of shadow, perhaps, representing the obscured or forgotten histories that haunt the present? Editor: It begs the question: who are we meant to fear more, the one openly marked or the one lurking in the background? Curator: Food for thought, indeed. It seems this work remains potent, sparking conversations about the darker aspects of societal performance. Editor: It is a compelling piece, offering a stark reminder that appearances can be profoundly deceiving.