VI 1973

Curator: Well, that’s… intense! It feels like staring into a particularly stylish abyss. Editor: Indeed. This is "VI" by John Walker, currently held in the Tate Collections. I'm struck by how Walker transforms something as simple as charcoal into such a monumental presence. It's the density of the black that really grabs you. What symbols do you feel the weight of? Curator: I’m getting a sense of isolation. Maybe it's the lack of color, the feeling of being enveloped. Though, strangely, I also feel a kind of solace in it, like hiding in plain sight. Editor: I think that solace is a key element of this work. And I find myself thinking of the night sea journeys that Jung wrote about. Perhaps this is about confronting our own darkness. Curator: Yes, absolutely! It's a reminder that even in the darkest of spaces, there’s still something to see, something to feel. It’s an invitation to look deeper. Editor: A powerful invitation, indeed.