Angel of Anarchy 1940

Editor: Here we have Eileen Agar’s *Angel of Anarchy* from 1940. It's a mixed-media sculpture. It feels very... theatrical, like something you’d see in a ritual. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The "Angel of Anarchy" certainly has a theatrical presence, doesn't it? Agar's choice of materials is intriguing. Given the socio-political context of 1940, with Europe engulfed in war, how do you see the title "Angel of Anarchy" resonating with the historical moment? Editor: Well, "anarchy" suggests chaos, disorder, maybe even a violent disruption of the status quo. Calling it an angel makes it even more unsettling – like chaos is being delivered by a divine being. Was Agar commenting on the existing order? Curator: Precisely! Consider the Surrealist movement’s interest in challenging societal norms and expectations. Agar, as a member, frequently critiqued bourgeois values and embraced the irrational. What role do you think the sculpture's materiality plays in conveying its message? Note the use of feathers, shells, and found objects. Editor: They're unexpected and kind of clash. The feathers and shells have natural beauty, but placed together on this abstract form, they become quite strange, disruptive, almost aggressive. The title now connects to that deliberate clash, right? Curator: Indeed. Agar repurposes these objects, challenging traditional notions of beauty and value, which, in itself, can be seen as a form of rebellion against established artistic and social structures. So the question is: how can art comment on society at the moment? Editor: It's powerful how this sculpture uses disparate materials to embody that sense of upheaval. Now that I better understand how the materials work with the time it was made in, this really shows me something. Curator: I find this "Angel" speaks volumes, not only about its own time but about art’s enduring power to question and disrupt. It has offered me an insight, too.