Study for ‘Feeding Gulls’ c. 1929

Editor: Here we have William Roberts' "Study for 'Feeding Gulls'," from the Tate Collection. It's a small sketch, but the shapes of the figures are so striking and monumental. What's your take on this work? Curator: Roberts, positioned within the British avant-garde, often explored the relationship between the individual and the collective. Consider how the abstracted figures, almost robotic in their uniformity, engage in this communal act. Does it feel celebratory or something else? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about the ambiguity of the scene. It seems that social unity and anonymity are both happening. Curator: Exactly! And Roberts does this on purpose. He presents a modern vision which is not utopian. What does this image suggest about the public role of art during that period? Editor: It makes me wonder about the artist's perspective on urbanization and industrialization. Thanks, that helps me to understand Roberts' work better. Curator: It's fascinating how the social context shapes our interpretation of even a seemingly simple scene like feeding gulls.