Caricaturing the KKKlansmen

In response to Philip Guston

The Open Window (1969) Philip Guston

As someone who has always enjoyed experiencing art but had very little education on art as an industry or history, I find myself in the wonderful position of discovering artists who, to most, are famous household names or revered disruptors from recent history. Philip Guston is one of those figures for me. Having never come across his work before, visiting his exhibition at Tate Modern this past weekend was an extraordinary experience.

Upon stepping into the first room, I was taken in by ‘Martial Memory’, an oil piece from the 1940s after Guston moved away from fresco painting. Every aspect of the painting stood out to me (by design of course) and I felt the need to devour as much of it as I could before stepping away and indulging further. I knew from the exhibition’s programme that Guston dipped in and out of various styles, forms and concepts throughout his life, but I was sure I’d found a favourite piece early in the collection. His use of varied dimensions, high-contrast shadows and various light sources, the deep background and cluttered foreground, make for an excellent depiction of five working-class city boys in the throes of a game.

Martial Memory (1941) Philip Guston