Topsy 

Editor: Here we have Sue Coe's "Topsy", an ink and charcoal drawing. The visual metaphor is just striking – the internal lives played out within the form of an elephant...it's bizarre, yet evocative. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Formally, the dynamism relies on the juxtaposition between the ordered structure of the internal compartments and the chaos of the looming storm and encroaching fire. Notice how the artist renders figures within this regimented space. The drawing evokes the language of architectural rendering. The composition also echoes early 20th century avant-garde theatrical designs, using stark light and shadow to emphasize dramatic tension. What strikes you most about this tension? Editor: I guess the way the human figures inside seem oblivious to the unfolding catastrophe, the contrast feels so stark. Is it suggesting a detachment from reality, a kind of...institutional blindness? Curator: Precisely. Consider the rhythmic repetition of the figures – domestic, intimate. Yet, this order is pierced by the brutal, expressive marks of the encroaching darkness. There’s an inherent contrast in the rendering too. On one hand, sharp architectural precision, versus the loose, visceral marks depicting destruction. How do these differences in mark-making affect your reading of the drawing? Editor: The precise lines feel detached, clinical, while the charcoal feels...raw. Like a scream. I'm struck by how Coe uses formal elements to tell a very emotionally charged story. Curator: Indeed, the emotional weight derives precisely from that discordance. The success here hinges on Coe’s mastery of contrasting lines and values. It's a work that makes one consider what is happening and why these are juxtaposed. Editor: I see now how much the tension in this drawing relies on her deliberate arrangement of line and shadow. A chilling image, masterfully composed.