preserve ‘beauty’ 1991 - 2003

Curator: Before us is Anya Gallaccio's piece, "preserve 'beauty'," part of the Tate collection. Editor: It’s intensely visceral, almost overwhelming in its redness. And those orderly vertical divisions—they feel so constructed, so deliberate against the natural decay. Curator: Gallaccio uses hundreds of cut gerbera daisies. Over time, the blooms wilt and decompose, inviting viewers to consider themes of mortality and transformation. Editor: The grid-like structure imposed on the flowers creates a tension, doesn't it? Like a botanical memento mori. Curator: Exactly. It's a potent reminder that beauty is fleeting. The artist invites us to witness and confront that transience. Editor: Such a contrast – this rigid framework and the inevitable, messy decline. I'm still struck by how that single color dominates the space, demanding attention. Curator: The artwork is a poignant exploration of time, decay, and the very essence of beauty itself. Editor: In that sense, perhaps its beauty lies not in what we see now, but in understanding what it becomes.