Small Running Man c. 1986

Editor: Here we have Dame Elisabeth Frink's bronze sculpture, Small Running Man. The figure's lean build and rough texture give it a feeling of vulnerability. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a figure caught between flight and fight. Consider Frink's historical context. Post-war Britain was grappling with anxieties of nuclear threat and Cold War tensions. Does this figure represent the struggle for survival, a body caught in systems of power? Editor: So, it's more than just a person running? Curator: Exactly. Frink often explored themes of masculinity and vulnerability. How does the sculpture's form, its small scale and attenuated limbs, contribute to this dialogue about power and fragility? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks! Curator: It's about considering the intersections of art, history, and lived experience. Always question the narratives!