Afternoon in Bangor 1952 - 1954

Editor: This is Martin Bloch’s “Afternoon in Bangor,” an oil on canvas in the Tate collection. It has such a dreamlike quality with the buildings kind of stacked on top of each other. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, consider Bloch's biography. As a Jewish artist in Germany, he faced increasing persecution, and eventually fled to England in the 1930s. How might this displacement have affected his representation of place and community? Editor: So, you’re saying that the fragmented perspective could be a reflection of his own sense of displacement? Curator: Precisely. It’s less about a literal Bangor, and more about evoking a sense of belonging, or perhaps, the difficulty in achieving it. The public sphere, the very concept of ‘afternoon in Bangor,’ becomes charged with personal and political weight. Editor: That’s fascinating. It definitely makes me see the painting in a new, more complex light. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Considering the artist's life and times truly enriches the viewing experience.