Bird and Mouse 1968

Editor: We are looking at Graham Sutherland's 1968 print, "Bird and Mouse". The limited colour palette adds to the strangeness of this image, but what strikes me most is the composition—the exaggerated features make it seem almost like a caricature. What's your interpretation of the work? Curator: I agree about the caricature-like quality. Notice the striking use of line. The curved lines that delineate the owl's form contrast with the straight lines forming its legs. How does that contrast speak to you? Editor: It's quite unsettling; the body looks soft and round, while the rigid legs make it look robotic almost, very unnatural. Curator: Precisely. And let us consider the title. How do the lines connecting, or failing to connect, bird and mouse function? Editor: Well, visually they're separated—the colour pallete and line work don't merge, creating an obvious hierarchy in that dynamic, making it clear who is winning this contest of predator-and-prey. Curator: Indeed. Consider the flat plane upon which the bird stands. Does it serve as a stage? If so, for what kind of drama? And the heavy shadow looming over the bird -- what impact does that shadow create within the composition? Editor: A stage definitely suggests a performance. It draws focus to the drama, to the potential struggle between the bird and the mouse, and creates an ominous mood. The looming shadow, in the context of the composition, suggests impending doom and, once more, enforces this hierarchy and separation you highlighted. I never would have noticed those nuances. Thank you! Curator: A closer examination of form can often lead to profound interpretations. Focusing on the materiality and the relationship of forms to each other provides ample material for analyzing art.