Canto XIII: [no title] 1981

Curator: Esq Tom Phillips' print, "Canto XIII," presents a fascinating visual poem. What captures you first about this piece? Editor: The contrast! The flurry of ghostly figures on one side, like memories fading, against that dense, symbolic column. The materials feel quite important to the message. Curator: Indeed. Phillips often layers text and image, inviting us to piece together meaning, a beautiful game of deciphering feelings. Editor: The "ghosts" look as if they are made from the very earth. The etching process is clearly vital to the raw emotional content of this piece. Curator: I love how it feels unfinished, a journey more than a destination, and the medium seems crucial to that, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, each mark, each etched line, speaks to the labor of creation. It’s like archaeology of the soul, unearthed through process. Curator: Exactly. Phillips gives us a glimpse into his process of intuitive mark making, a deeply personal exploration. Editor: It's a testament to how art's materials, context, and execution can convey just as much as the imagery itself. Curator: A fitting conclusion to a print that blurs those very lines, I’d say.