M(M10) 1993

Editor: We're looking at Jan Vercruysse's "M(M10)" from the Tate collection, and I’m struck by the almost sterile, unreal quality of the piano. It feels like a symbol, but of what? What do you see in this piece? Curator: The piano, divorced from its function, becomes a potent symbol of cultural memory. It’s elevated, almost crucified, on these painted blocks. Do those colors remind you of anything? Perhaps children's building blocks? Editor: I do see that. So you're saying it’s a commentary on the relationship between childhood and high culture? Curator: It's a question of the piano's cultural weight, and how that weight is supported, or undermined, by these seemingly simple forms and their connotations. It prompts us to question our own cultural inheritance. Editor: I hadn't considered that interplay. It’s fascinating how a familiar object can be transformed into something so thought-provoking. Curator: Indeed. The power of symbols lies in their ability to evoke complex emotions and associations.