Different aspects of submarines 

Editor: This print by Eric Ravilious, "Different aspects of submarines," presents us with these somewhat flattened views of naval vessels, seemingly suspended in the water, or maybe air. The color palette feels subdued, lending a kind of eerie mood. What stands out to you in terms of symbolic meaning? Curator: That eerie quality comes from Ravilious's visual language, where forms and the interplay of geometric shapes hint at a deeper significance. Notice how the artist arranges the submarines on the picture plane as if the vessels are hovering, almost ghost-like, evoking a potent symbolism associated with submarines as unseen actors during the World War II era when this image emerged. Editor: The submarines feel ambiguous and I can definitely see the flattening, giving it the effect of design work rather than pure portraiture. Are there common cultural tropes or naval symbols we can recognize? Curator: Consider the composition itself. Each view of the submarine represents a different aspect— submerged, surfaced, details like propellers or numbers... Could this be a kind of trinity, presenting us with multi-faceted view of something we might fear or respect? How would these icons or visual artifacts inform identity? Editor: I guess by exploring a few aspects, it helps the viewer create a cohesive picture in their minds. With the flattening effect, I initially saw them more as forms. Now I’m connecting each visual symbol with something bigger in history. Curator: Precisely. And beyond simple identification, consider Ravilious asking us to remember and examine our cultural relationship with objects of military power and the weight they hold, even now.