Stair c. 1982 - 2007

Curator: This is León Ferrari's "Stair," a work whose date remains unknown. It resides here at the Tate. Editor: My first impression is disorientation. The meticulousness of the linework almost overwhelms. Curator: Ferrari's work often challenged power structures. One must consider the socio-political context in which he was working. Editor: And the relentless detail! Consider the labor involved in producing such a drawing, and how it mirrors the endless climb. Curator: Absolutely, especially when thinking about how the architecture of institutions can either facilitate or restrict social movement. Editor: I find myself wondering about the type of pen and the surface of the paper itself, as tools mediating this intricate, political statement. Curator: The starkness emphasizes the symbolic maze of social mobility. Editor: It is interesting to reconsider line, the material of the drawing, and its symbolic role as a confining boundary. Curator: Viewing it this way certainly gives depth to the artist's intention. Editor: Precisely, and the material tells us a great deal about the artist's process.