A Grammar of Ornament 1976 - 1977

Editor: This is Esq Tom Phillips's "A Grammar of Ornament," held in the Tate Collections. It looks like a patchwork quilt contained within a playing card. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The quilt as an icon is interesting. It evokes domesticity, comfort, and the feminine, but enclosed by the rigid structure of the playing card, those associations become destabilized. Editor: So, the familiarity is disrupted by the frame? Curator: Precisely. Consider the ornamental border and corners of the card – do they mimic or mock traditional notions of beauty? How does the juxtaposition alter the cultural memory associated with each? Editor: It’s like Phillips is asking us to re-examine our assumptions about both the high and low arts. Curator: Yes, it also makes you think about the symbolic weight everyday objects and images carry.