Horse and Rider 1970 - 1971

Editor: This is "Horse and Rider" by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The lithographic technique, along with the stark color contrasts, creates a sense of raw energy. What can you tell me about the materials Frink used and how they speak to the themes of the work? Curator: Consider the texture achievable through lithography, almost like a rough hewn poster. Doesn’t the choice of this printmaking technique, a method that democratizes art production, bring into question the traditional hierarchy between fine art and mass production? Editor: That’s a great point! So, thinking about the social context, could the printmaking process reflect accessibility and a challenge to elitism? Curator: Precisely. And the artist’s choice of materials – paper and lithographic crayon – further emphasize a focus on the labor and process of creating art. Interesting, right? Editor: It really is. It makes me reconsider my initial aesthetic reading.