Page 10, State I 1998

Curator: This is "Page 10, State I" by John Walker, residing here at the Tate. Editor: The stark contrasts give me a sense of something raw, unfinished, like a half-remembered dream emerging from the depths. Curator: Walker’s abstract forms often carry personal and political weight, reflecting a history of conflict and displacement, processed through the act of mark-making. Consider his cultural and personal context as a British artist grappling with post-war realities. Editor: The figure, possibly crucified, is certainly a potent symbol, evoking centuries of cultural and religious narratives. The heavy lines beside it, like a gnarled tree, add a sense of rooted suffering, or maybe resilience. Curator: Indeed, Walker's art confronts uncomfortable truths by creating new visual vocabularies for deeply rooted, shared experiences. Editor: It makes you think about how collective memory imprints itself onto even the most abstract forms. I find it incredibly haunting, still.