Jan Craig-Martin c. 1972 - 1983

Curator: This is Barry Flanagan's line etching, "Jan Craig-Martin," part of the Tate Collections. It presents a portrait rendered with remarkable economy of line. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by its fragility and ephemerality. The faint lines create a sense of something fleeting, a captured moment. Curator: The choice of line, its weight and direction, constructs the entire form. The hair, for instance, is suggested by flowing, rhythmic strokes, while the face is more angular, defined by a few decisive marks. Editor: Right. The face, emerging from the shadows of her hair, speaks volumes. The symbol of a woman peering from behind a veil or cascade is a potent one, suggestive of concealment, mystery, or perhaps, the power held in the unseen. Curator: Agreed, the negative space is equally crucial. It allows the viewer to actively participate in constructing the image, filling in the blanks, and interpreting the minimal visual information provided. Editor: Ultimately, it feels almost like a ghostly visitation, a memory of a person, evoked by the simplest of means. Curator: Indeed, a masterclass in reductive representation.