A Goat 1937

Editor: So, this is Nandalal Bose's "A Goat," a small etching. It's striking how much texture he gets from such simple lines. What do you see in this piece? Curator: For me, it speaks to the political agency of the marginalized. The goat, often a symbol of sacrifice or the pastoral, is rendered here with a defiant presence. Consider Bose's context in pre-independent India. Does this goat become a symbol of resistance? Editor: That's a really interesting take. I hadn't considered that. It challenges the traditional symbolism, right? Curator: Precisely! Bose prompts us to question the existing power structures and reimagine the roles assigned to different beings within society. Are we looking at an indictment of colonial power? Editor: Wow, I will definitely be thinking about this one differently now. Curator: And perhaps we can think about our own roles in perpetuating or dismantling those power structures.