The Two Cultures 1981

Editor: This is Brian Clarke's "The Two Cultures," made with screenprint. The overlaid grid is very prominent. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Given the title, consider how the screenprinting process itself—the layering, the mechanical reproduction—speaks to mass culture and dissemination of information. How does the grid both organize and fragment the imagery, and what materials were used to create the grid and the images printed? Editor: That’s interesting. So, the technique mirrors the theme? Curator: Exactly! Think about how Clarke uses a seemingly industrial process to explore the intersection of science, art, and society. The grid, is it acting as a tool for organizing these images, or as a barrier? What does that tell us about the consumption of information? Editor: I see. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting on the labor involved can really reshape how we understand the final image.