Canto XVII: [no title] 1982

Editor: This print, "[no title]" from Canto XVII by Esq Tom Phillips, features a spiral staircase and airplanes. There's something about the combination of rigid geometry and the freedom of flight that's captivating. What symbols stand out to you? Curator: The spiral, laden with symbolic weight across cultures, often represents spiritual ascension or cyclical time. Paired with the planes, symbols of modernity and progress, we're presented with a compelling tension. Does the spiraling flight path echo the upward striving of the staircase, or does it suggest something else entirely? Editor: It's interesting how the staircase is so precise, almost technical, while the planes seem to be more fluid and organic in their movement. Curator: Exactly! That interplay invites us to consider how we navigate the structures we build, both literally and metaphorically. The cultural memory of flight is far more recent than the symbolic weight of the spiral. Editor: I see how the contrast between the staircase and the airplanes creates a symbolic richness. Curator: Indeed, the dialogue between these symbols invites deeper contemplation.