Corrida One 1973

Editor: This is Dame Elisabeth Frink's "Corrida One," a print from the Tate collection. The stark contrast and wounded bull create a really visceral feeling. What do you see in this piece, considering its materials and process? Curator: The lithographic process allows for a focus on the raw physicality. Frink uses the medium to highlight the labor involved, both the bull’s struggle and the unseen labor of the corrida itself. It hints at consumption, violence, and the spectacle of animal exploitation. Editor: That's interesting, so you're seeing the printmaking itself as part of the story? Curator: Absolutely. The bull's suffering and the human figure's looming presence expose a cycle of production and destruction inherent in the tradition of bullfighting. Editor: I hadn't thought about the print itself as a form of labor. I’ll definitely look at Frink’s work differently now.