Rangatira II 1970

Editor: Here we have Dame Barbara Hepworth’s “Rangatira II,” currently residing at the Tate. It feels architectural, almost like a blueprint for a building that exists only in dreams. What do you see in this piece, something beyond the bare bones of form and colour? Curator: I see Hepworth grappling with space itself, wouldn’t you agree? The ochre swathes feel earthy, anchored, while those grid lines are like a ship’s rigging, hinting at movement and exploration. It's like she's trying to capture the feeling of being both grounded and free simultaneously. Editor: That’s a lovely thought, the tension between being grounded and free. It also resonates with Hepworth’s biography, straddling the world of sculpture and painting. I hadn’t considered that. Curator: Exactly! It’s a dance, isn't it? Maybe she wanted us to ponder where we are, where we are going? Editor: Indeed. It leaves me contemplating new interpretations and directions in Hepworth’s overall body of work.