Willie Rodger: Look Thy Last

Willie Rodger (1930-2018) linocuts observed the Scottish world with a kindly and amusing eye. The lightness of the spirit belies the calculation of the design and the sheer craftsmanship of his selected medium.

As the artist himself reflected, “I enjoy the discipline of lino, the simplicity. It’s a clean-cut medium. You have to think clearly before cutting. One slip and it’s ruined. There’s no pussyfooting around.”

Translated into tapestry, this piece has an even greater impact without losing the spirit of Rodger’s prints. Quoting a line from the poem Fare Well by English poet Walter de la Mare, Rodger transforms the text into a graphic design with letters slotting into each other and the word ‘Lovely’ drawing the eye in. The distinctive style of the artist and the interpretation of the weavers come together to form a striking composition in Look Thy Last.