Shift Closed 1975 - 1977

Curator: This is David Leverett's piece, "Shift Closed," held here in the Tate collection. There's no date assigned, so it invites interpretation across various timelines. Editor: It's immediately evocative—the muted greens and grays layered like sediment. I'm curious about the printing process. Curator: Considering the title, "Shift Closed," one might interpret the layered blocks as representing societal structures or power dynamics gradually solidifying, closing in. What do you think of that reading? Editor: I see the layers more physically—the act of layering colors, creating depth, speaks to a labor-intensive process. Perhaps it's a comment on the time and resources required to create even an abstract image. Curator: It certainly opens up a conversation about the value placed on different kinds of labor, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. The artwork leaves me pondering the many layers of creation and interpretation that exist within a seemingly simple composition.