O.A.S. Assassins 1962

Editor: This is Hubert Dalwood's sculpture, "O.A.S. Assassins," from about the mid-20th century. The materials give it a solemn, almost brutal feel. What do you see in this piece in terms of its historical context? Curator: Dalwood's piece demands we consider the socio-political turmoil of its time. The O.A.S. was a French paramilitary group, so how does this sculpture engage with the politics of imagery surrounding colonialism and violence? Editor: It's interesting how the sculpture seems to both memorialize and critique the subject. I hadn't thought about the artist's potential commentary on colonialism. Curator: Exactly! The public role of art, especially sculpture, is to provoke such dialogue. This discussion has certainly given me a new perspective on Dalwood's work.