Garden Suite II 1970

Editor: This is Ivor Abrahams’s "Garden Suite II" from the Tate Collections. It's a print of two hedges, each cropped in its own panel. What cultural memories do these sculpted hedges evoke for you? Curator: Hedges, particularly in manicured settings, often symbolize control and order over nature. The diptych form here creates an interesting dialogue. Are these two separate realities or two views of the same space? Editor: That's a great question! I hadn't considered the symbolism of control. Curator: Also, consider the colours. The juxtaposition of the warmer, autumnal tones in contrast with the cooler greens. What emotional impact does this contrast have on you? Editor: It gives a sense of time passing, maybe a subtle comment on the seasons, and the human desire to shape them? I'm learning a lot about seeing symbolism in unexpected places! Curator: Indeed. Art allows us to see familiar imagery anew.