KATHARINE WADE

I produced a series of screenprints that combined my favourite poem, September 1st, 1939 by W H Auden and the concept of an Ouroboros, the ancient symbol of a dragon eating its own tail.

The poem speaks on the fears and apprehensions the common man lives through in their day to day lives while the crushing unavoidable dread of all out war follows them like a shadow. In the poem Auden seems to lament on humanities endless ability to endure such woes, such anxieties in the face of such evil. The poem explores humanities ability to spark hope in such cyclical suffering. It is a poem people turn to in crisis.

I’ve always loved the meaning behind an Ouroborus, and how its simple message has transcended the passing of time. It is often used to express ideas about the fundamental nature of the universe, the cyclical nature of life, and the interconnectedness of all things.