Modification P.39 c. 1955

Curator: Standing here, looking at this image, the first word that leaps to mind is "labyrinthine". There's something so intricate, almost dizzying, about the way these geometric forms intersect. It’s like peering into the blueprint of a dream. Editor: And a quite haunting one at that. "Modification P.39", a print dating circa 1955 by John Hannah, certainly presents us with a striking composition. I'm interested in how Hannah's work is classified within Cubism—particularly in the graphic arts arena. It presents some interesting art historical challenges in categorization. Curator: Challenges are good! Because looking at it, the 'graphic art' tag feels spot-on. It's a language of pure line and angle, but somehow… tender? Is that strange to say about something so austere? The gradients and the way light seems to both reveal and conceal – there is so much implied texture that pulls you closer. Editor: It isn’t strange at all! Post-war, we see many artists grappling with reconciling pre-war abstraction with renewed socio-political awareness, exploring new relationships between the objective and subjective in art. Here we find a dance between mechanical and emotional space that defies cold analysis. Do you think the title is intentionally obscure? Curator: Probably. I suspect there is more to Hannah's choice. This piece might also speak to those times in which art can both mask or reveal itself and to others as art seeks constant re-modification. You know, sometimes the modification IS the art itself, it's not so much the process as it is about those small alterations on oneself that make an impression, at least on you, or perhaps even for someone else. Editor: That connects nicely to the historical setting. Mid-century modernism was, in some ways, about "modification"—the conscious altering of pre-existing styles, in response to new political and social realities. In the post-war period, Hannah created "Modification P.39" which in turn asks of its audiences to confront such artistic shifts. Curator: It makes you think doesn’t it? It has some quiet power that gets under the skin and makes me look twice at those assumed and taken for granted in my daily interactions. It may well be because such a striking combination of familiar yet disjointed pieces. Editor: I agree, and in this viewing of John Hannah's piece, our perspectives are enriched. We might see graphic art differently and, by implication, history too! Curator: Exactly. Thank you for sharing that! I think I like this a bit more now than I did a few minutes ago!