[no title] 1995

Curator: This is an untitled etching by Per Kirkeby, held here at the Tate. Editor: It’s incredibly evocative. It feels like a rain-swept forest seen through a shattered window. Curator: Kirkeby's geological background deeply influenced his art; he often explored themes of nature and stratification. He approached printmaking in a very physical way. Editor: Absolutely, the frenetic lines read like an interrogation of both nature and the artistic process itself. I’m curious about the date; it is absent, isn’t it? Curator: Yes, the exact date is unknown, which complicates how we contextualize it within Kirkeby’s wider body of work. Does it prefigure or echo his later brick sculptures, for example? That’s unclear. Editor: I see it as a kind of primal scream rendered in ink. It makes me think about ecological devastation. Curator: I see that, although I also appreciate how it engages with the history of abstraction, pushing against the rigid forms of earlier movements. Editor: It's interesting how different perspectives can highlight different aspects of the work. I'll leave contemplating its impact on historical and political awareness. Curator: And I'll be over here thinking about its place in the canon. It's been a privilege.