Signs of Death and Decay in the Sky 1969 - 1970

Editor: This colorful print, titled "Signs of Death and Decay in the Sky" by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, presents a collage of images. It feels almost like a coded message, a visual puzzle. What symbols stand out to you in this piece? Curator: The juxtaposition of the seemingly innocuous – a parakeet, an airplane – with images of, say, astronauts or figures in masks creates a tension. These are the signs. Paolozzi explores the anxieties of post-war technological advancement and mass media. Do you see how familiar commercial images become unsettling when placed alongside more primal or grotesque figures? Editor: Yes, I see how the familiar becomes defamiliarized and disturbing. Thank you, that helps clarify the artist's intent. Curator: Indeed. It shows us that our cultural landscape is filled with signs, and it is our responsibility to decode them.