Canto V: [no title] 1981

Editor: This is "Canto V" by Esq Tom Phillips. It's a print with these strange faded figures repeated in rows. There's some text winding down the middle too. What do you make of the imagery and the words? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the cyclical nature of history and its impact on the body. Phillips often uses literature as a springboard. What if this piece is about power structures, about how they reappear, reshape, and reimpose themselves on marginalized bodies across generations? Editor: So, the repetition isn't just visual, it's a statement about persistent social issues? Curator: Precisely! Consider how the muted tones might represent the silencing of certain voices, and the obscured figures could symbolize those rendered invisible by oppressive systems. What emotions does the winding text evoke? Editor: It feels restrictive, like being trapped in a maze of words. Curator: Perhaps that maze represents the complex, often contradictory narratives that perpetuate inequality. It challenges us to unravel these systems and find pathways to liberation. Editor: That gives the artwork a whole new layer of meaning. I was just seeing shapes, but now I see a message.