Personnage Jaune 1954

Editor: This is Martin Bradley's *Personnage Jaune*, held at the Tate. It's such a striking piece with these bold, almost childlike figures. How do you interpret the imagery and its context? Curator: Well, I see it as a product of post-war anxieties, channeling Surrealist automatism. Consider the rise of abstract expressionism and its exploration of the subconscious—Bradley likely sought to engage with that movement, using the canvas as a playground for exploring socio-political tensions through symbolic, rather than literal, forms. Editor: So, the "childlike" figures could be a deliberate commentary? Curator: Exactly. It questions the role of the artist within a rapidly changing world. Perhaps Bradley felt that the traditional forms of art-making were inadequate to address the new realities of the time. I find this work offers a powerful commentary on art's capacity for social and political discourse. Editor: I never thought of it that way, fascinating. Curator: Art history gives us these lenses.