Canto XXVIII: [no title] 1983

Curator: This is Esq Tom Phillips' "Canto XXVIII," held in the Tate Collections. The work lacks a precise date but offers a compelling example of Phillips' engagement with found texts and collage. Editor: It's quite jarring! The grid format clashes with the chaotic imagery. Is that deliberate tension? Curator: Absolutely. Phillips often juxtaposes disparate elements to provoke reaction. "Canto XXVIII" takes fragmented imagery and sets them against visual and textual fields of meaning. Consider the impact of the title—juxtaposing "schism" and "skin game." Editor: The red, white, and black graphic in the center seems to dominate the piece. Are those figures? Curator: Indeed. These recurring symbolic forms, scattered throughout Phillips' works, may allude to the human condition as read through the lens of Dante's Inferno. The artist’s engagement with literary and cultural history shapes the politics of the work. Editor: It's a dense, demanding piece. It makes me think about how we are constantly bombarded with fragmented information. Curator: Yes, Phillips challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about society and the self through disruptive visuals. Editor: It's definitely a work that stays with you, urging contemplation.