[title not known] 1981

Editor: Here we have an untitled work by William Johnstone. It seems to combine sparse calligraphy with a poem, "The Late Swallow." It has a very ethereal and wistful mood. What do you see in this piece, particularly in the relationship between the text and the image? Curator: It feels like a quiet conversation between word and image, doesn't it? The calligraphy, those delicate bird-like forms, mimic the poem's theme of flight and transience. I think Johnstone is trying to evoke a sense of longing, perhaps even a farewell. Editor: A farewell to what, though? Is it personal, or something broader? Curator: Maybe both! Perhaps a reflection on the fading of summer, or even a deeper meditation on life's ephemeral nature. The poem speaks of weariness, so it could be Johnstone’s own reflections. What do you think? Editor: I never considered that it might be self-referential. It certainly deepens the impact. Curator: Art often invites us to see ourselves, doesn’t it?