Tower 1968 - 1969

Curator: Reg Butler, born in 1913, created this print, called "Tower." What strikes you first about it? Editor: It feels monumental, though the print itself is quite small. There’s this oppressive weight, a looming darkness that both attracts and repels. Curator: Butler was a sculptor, and that sense of volume translates even into his prints. His work often engaged with post-war anxieties. Editor: I can see that tension. It's like a monolith, a symbol of power perhaps, but also incredibly vulnerable. Almost as if it could topple over at any moment. Curator: The stark contrast between light and shadow certainly reinforces that sense of instability, reflecting perhaps the societal upheavals of his time. Editor: I guess even something as solid as a tower can feel precarious under the right gaze. It makes you wonder what foundations, both literal and figurative, we're building on. Curator: Indeed. Butler’s "Tower" serves as a potent reminder of art’s ability to capture the zeitgeist and offer critical commentary on the world around us. Editor: It's a stark, brooding piece. Glad to have spent a little time under its shadow.