Ziggurat 5 1966

Curator: Joe Tilson’s “Ziggurat 5,” part of the Tate collection, presents a vibrant stepped pyramid. Editor: It's remarkably cheerful, isn’t it? Like a technicolor temple, or maybe a very well-organized stack of building blocks. Curator: The architectural form, the ziggurat, references ancient Mesopotamian temples. But Tilson infuses it with a very Pop sensibility, using those bold, flat planes of color. Editor: I see each color almost as a different level of consciousness, building on one another to reach… what? Enlightenment? A really great party? Curator: Perhaps both. Tilson was interested in exploring the connection between ancient symbols and modern life. It's a beautiful synthesis. Editor: It really makes you think about how the past keeps reshaping itself in our present. A delightful, and surprisingly profound piece.