Artist and Model 1980

Editor: This is Howard Hodgkin's "Artist and Model," housed at the Tate. It's so striking with its bold use of black and ochre. What stories do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a commentary on the male gaze. Hodgkin obscures the model's identity, reducing her to a silhouette within a constructed space. It begs the question, who holds the power in this interaction and why? Editor: So, it's not just a depiction of a scene, but also a critique? Curator: Precisely! Consider the historical context: male artists frequently objectified female models. Hodgkin seems to be acknowledging, perhaps even challenging, that dynamic through abstraction. What do you think? Editor: I hadn't considered that angle. Now I see the work in a completely different, more critical light. Curator: Art holds a mirror to society, reflecting its values and biases.