Sketch for a Mobile Construction c. 1918

Editor: This is Naum Gabo's "Sketch for a Mobile Construction" at the Tate. The intersecting lines and geometric forms give it a sense of dynamic potential, but also a little instability. What symbolic resonance do you find in this sketch? Curator: Gabo’s constructions often symbolize a utopian vision, a faith in progress and technology to reshape society. Notice how the lines create a sense of transparency and interconnectedness. Does that suggest anything to you about Gabo's intention? Editor: It does feel like he's trying to represent the unseen forces that connect everything, the dynamism of modern life. Curator: Precisely. And the “mobile” aspect introduces an element of chance, a questioning of rigid structures. The sketch itself acts as a symbol of an idea in motion. Editor: I hadn't thought about the mobile suggesting chance. Thanks, that makes it all click.