A Rough Sea Off Brighton or Deal, after J.M.W. Turner 1893

Editor: This is Robert David Gauley’s watercolor "A Rough Sea Off Brighton or Deal, after J.M.W. Turner." It’s a small work, but the washes of blue and grey give it such an expansive, almost turbulent feel. What do you see in it? Curator: I see the legacy of Turner, certainly, but I also see Gauley grappling with themes of power and vulnerability. The sublime, as explored by Turner, often omits the human figure, erasing the stories of those most affected by the power of nature. How might we re-insert those narratives? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered, thinking about who is absent from the scene. Curator: Exactly. Whose stories are submerged beneath those rough seas? We must consider the historical context of maritime trade, colonialism, and the lives of those who navigated these treacherous waters. Editor: That adds a whole new layer to this seemingly simple seascape! Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. Thinking critically about whose stories are being told, and whose are not, is at the heart of understanding art's broader impact.