Canto XXVIII: [no title] 1983

Editor: This is Esq Tom Phillips' Canto XXVIII, from the Tate collection. It’s a complex image; the figures seem both classical and disturbingly anatomical. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The layering of the anatomical figures against the implied classical forms is fascinating. It evokes a dialogue about the historical representation of the body, particularly the female body, in art and science. Consider the power dynamics at play when the body is dissected and displayed. How does this image challenge or reinforce these power structures? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. It’s almost as if Phillips is asking us to confront the objectification inherent in both artistic and scientific renderings of the human form. Curator: Precisely! And the fragmented text floating above? It hints at the limitations of language in capturing the lived experience of embodiment, especially in relation to trauma and visibility. Editor: So, it’s not just about aesthetics, but also about the politics of representation? Curator: Absolutely. Art is never created in a vacuum. This piece makes us consider the social and political contexts that inform how we see and understand the body.