Come into the Garden, Maud 2000 - 2003

Editor: Howard Hodgkin's "Come into the Garden, Maud" presents such an intriguing collection of colors and brushstrokes. The texture is fascinating. How do you interpret this work within its historical context? Curator: Hodgkin emerged during a period when abstract expressionism was waning, yet he embraced its emotive power. How do you think the garden as a subject speaks to ideas of cultivated space versus the raw, untamed expression we see in the brushwork? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn't considered how "garden" implies control, in contrast to the painting's apparent spontaneity. I see it now. Curator: Consider also the public function of gardens, and how their imagery changes depending on the social and political moment. Editor: It’s amazing how much the historical context can change how we see a work of art. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Indeed, historical perspective shifts our understanding. Let’s remember, art always reflects the world around it.