Delta 1978 - 1979

Curator: John Murphy's "Delta" presents us with an intriguing tableau of symbols rendered in red on a roughly textured ground. What's your initial take? Editor: It feels ancient, like a forgotten language etched onto some weathered cloth. A bit unsettling, but also captivating. The shapes are so elemental. Curator: Indeed. The work prompts a semiotic reading. The grid format encourages us to seek meaning in the arrangement and individual forms. The color choice is also significant. Editor: The red really pops against that beige fabric, doesn't it? It makes me think of blood, or maybe faded memories. Gives a raw, almost visceral feel. Curator: One might posit that Murphy uses these basic shapes to explore fundamental concepts of language and representation itself. The very structure is the message. Editor: It’s funny, I see simple forms and I imagine hidden stories, secrets whispered across generations. So maybe we are both on point. Curator: Perhaps, which highlights the richness of the work. Editor: I'll be pondering these strange symbols for a while longer. Thanks for this deep dive.