Canto XVI: [no title] 1982

Editor: This is Esq Tom Phillips’ Canto XVI, a print held at the Tate. Its starkness and dense cross-hatching create a rather unsettling mood. What can you tell me about the composition? Curator: Note how the artist uses line and shadow to create a sense of depth, even within the confines of the printmaking medium. The figures, particularly their skeletal forms, emerge from a field of dense, almost chaotic marks. Observe how this contrast accentuates their shape and form, and consider how the artist exploits the medium to create this effect. Editor: It's quite striking, the way the figures seem to be both emerging from and trapped by the darkness. Curator: Indeed. The interplay between positive and negative space serves to emphasize the subjects and draw the viewer’s eye through the composition. We see a successful study of light, shadow, and form that emphasizes the skeletal figures. Editor: Thank you, that really clarifies my understanding of the piece. Curator: My pleasure. It's always rewarding to explore the formal elements that contribute to a work's overall impact.