High Cross 1977 - 1978

Curator: Let's discuss John Piper's "High Cross," currently held in the Tate Collections; it's a work that really emphasizes the stark beauty of architectural forms. Editor: There's a brooding atmosphere to this piece, wouldn't you say? The dramatic sky and somber color palette definitely evoke a sense of melancholy. Curator: Absolutely. Piper's application of lithographic crayon and watercolor wash gives the image a tactile quality, almost like you could reach out and touch the rough surface of the stone. It bridges painting and printmaking. Editor: And that setting, the church framed by nature feels very intentional. I read it as commentary on the place of religion within the landscape, a tension between the man-made and the natural. It also resonates with post-war Britain's changing identity. Curator: I'm drawn to how the various washes work together to create these gradations of tone. I imagine the labor in layering these materials and the effects of light. Editor: It definitely asks questions about the relationship between faith, history, and the individual’s place within a community navigating change. Curator: The piece rewards close attention to the process. Editor: Precisely, and I think it encourages us to contemplate the weight of history on contemporary life.