Bacchanal before a Herm (2) 1998

Curator: This is "Bacchanal before a Herm (2)" by Leon Kossoff. It's part of the Tate Collections and depicts a scene of revelry. Editor: Wow, it's like a barely-there dream! A flurry of bodies and lines, creating a sense of frantic energy. Is this an etching? Curator: Yes, it’s an etching, which gives it that delicate, almost skeletal feel. Kossoff, although better known as a painter, returned often to printmaking. It’s interesting to see him engage with classical themes. Editor: Classical, but gritty. I get the sense that Kossoff is less interested in the ideal and more in the raw, uninhibited energy of the moment. It's not pretty, but intensely alive. Curator: Absolutely, Kossoff's figures often have a raw vulnerability, even when they're supposed to be celebrating. The herm, a classical sculpture, suggests a clash between order and chaos. Editor: It really does make you feel like you’re eavesdropping on something wild, something dangerous, doesn’t it? It makes you want to join in, or run away, hard to say which!