Osez 1991

Curator: Ian Hamilton Finlay's "Osez" presents us with a potent juxtaposition, doesn't it? A common garden hoe transformed through context. Editor: Yes, there’s something arresting in its simplicity. It feels…ominous, almost. That stark black against the neutral backdrop. A symbol ripe with potential violence. Curator: Absolutely. Finlay was fascinated by the language and imagery of revolution, and the French imperative "Osez"—dare—speaks to that directly. The choice of a farming tool elevates the means of production and labor into the realm of political action. Editor: I get the political undertones, but I also can't shake the feeling of being unsettled. It's like a dark thought given form, lurking in the corner of a peaceful garden. Curator: I find that tension between the object’s utilitarian roots and its symbolic weight to be one of the artwork's strengths. It makes you consider the complex relationship between tools, labor, and power. Editor: Precisely. I walked in here thinking one thing, and now...well, now I'm not so sure what this hoe is really saying. That's a sign of good art, wouldn't you say?