English Heritage - Humpty Fucking Dumpty 1987

Editor: This is Bill Woodrow's "English Heritage - Humpty Fucking Dumpty," housed at the Tate. It's a large sculpture, primarily constructed from wooden boxes and other found objects. I'm struck by how precarious and unstable it looks. What does this imagery evoke for you? Curator: The Humpty Dumpty image is potent. The nursery rhyme figure is, of course, about a great fall. In Woodrow's hands, does the image of the nuclear symbol on one of the crates suggest a post-nuclear fall of civilization? Editor: That's a compelling interpretation. The nuclear symbol definitely adds a layer of anxiety to the already unstable form. Curator: The artist makes us think about cultural fragility in the face of technological and environmental dangers. It all seems very current. Editor: I didn't think of it that way. I see now a fusion of childhood innocence and impending doom. Curator: It highlights how symbols can unexpectedly tap into our deepest collective fears.