Minerva Protects Pax from Mars (‘Peace and War’) (1) 1998

Curator: Leon Kossoff's etching, "Minerva Protects Pax from Mars," seems to be a swirling vortex of nervous energy. Editor: It feels chaotic, almost aggressively so. The lines are so frantic, like a charcoal drawing rubbed raw. Curator: Right, the composition is based on Rubens, and Kossoff is very interested in how public institutions displayed this type of artwork. Editor: It's hard to make out the figures at first glance. But I think I can see Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, shielding Pax, who embodies peace. Mars, the god of war, looms in the background, doesn't he? Curator: Exactly! Kossoff uses this classical imagery to make a potent statement about the fragility of peace in the face of conflict. Perhaps he's showing us that institutions are the source for this peace, always under threat. Editor: Knowing Kossoff’s own wartime experiences, one can only wonder if it acts as a visual echo of history, a raw expression of its cyclical nature. Curator: It is a powerful image, and I think its lasting impact lies in its ability to evoke such intense emotions and ask big questions about peace and war, even now. Editor: Yes, a great reminder that even in this image, peace is a constant struggle.