Up in the Morning Early: RAF Camp 1941 1942

Curator: Alan Sorrell created this work, titled "Up in the Morning Early: RAF Camp 1941," during the Second World War. It's currently held in the Tate Collections. Editor: Bleak. Utterly bleak. The cold palette, the rushing figures... it speaks of urgency and discomfort. Curator: The painting method gives a gritty quality. Look closely at the material reality of wartime life, the construction of the camp, the wear on the buildings...it's all right there. Editor: Absolutely, and notice the symbolic contrast of the dark, bare trees against the faint, almost desperate, sunrise. It hints at hope struggling against harsh realities. Curator: Indeed. Sorrell's focus is on the labor of war, stripping away any romantic notions. Editor: Yet, that starkness itself becomes a potent symbol, doesn't it? A symbol of resilience. Curator: A good point. It certainly provides a lot to reflect upon. Editor: Yes, a moment of harsh beauty amidst the brutal machinery of war.