Etching on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/malcolm-morley-1665" aria-label="More by Malcolm Morley" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Malcolm Morley</a>
Train Wreck Gold Version
Purchased 1981
abstraction
Chinese / Japanese text
crash
Cyrillic text
from recognisable sources
inscriptions
man-made
objects
playing card
society
sports and games
symbols and personifications
train
transport: land
word
<p>This is one of two prints Morley made from a painting also called Train Wreck. The composition explores the theme of catastrophe, and was derived from a sculpture of a derailed toy train. Morley added a grid, depictions of a playing card fragment, a flower and inscriptions in English, Chinese, Japanese and Russian which read, 'catastrophe' and 'train wreck'. Morley explained, 'for the first time, I'm actually painting space as something seen before I hit a surface.'</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
paper print etching
Train Wreck (Gold Version)
image: 829 × 1121 mm
Purchased 1981
<p>This is one of two <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/print" title="Glossary definition for 'Print'"><span>prints</span></a> Morley made  from a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> also called Train Wreck. The  <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a> explores the theme of catastrophe, and was derived from a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculpture</span></a> of a derailed  toy train. Morley added a grid, depictions of  a playing card fragment, a flower and inscriptions  in English, Chinese, Japanese and Russian which read, 'catastrophe' and 'train wreck'. Morley explained, 'for the first time, I'm actually painting space as something seen before I hit a surface.'</p>
Display caption
2004-08-31T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>P07602</b> TRAIN WRECK (GOLD VERSION) 1975–81
<br/>
<br/>Inscribed ‘Malcolm Morley’ bottom right and ‘1/9’
<br/>Etching, printed at Styria Studio, New York, published by D'Arc Press, New York, 32 5/8×44 1/4 (83×112)
<br/>Purchased from Xavier Fourcade (Grant-in-Aid) 1981
<br/>
<br/>Morley made a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> of this subject and two <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/print" title="Glossary definition for 'Print'"><span>prints</span></a>, the other being ‘Train Wreck (Red Version)’ from the same copper plate. The <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/e/etching" title="Glossary definition for 'Etching'"><span>etchings</span></a> are hardground and <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/aquatint" title="Glossary definition for 'Aquatint'"><span>aquatint</span></a>. The image is from a model of a train wreck with lettering in English, Japanese, Chinese and Russian, all overlaid with a grid. Morley had previously used a grid for squaring up but here uses it as an integral part of the image. The plates were begun in 1975 but not editioned until 1981.
<br/>
<br/><b>Published in:</b>
<br/><i>The Tate Gallery 1980-82: Illustrated Catalogue of Acquisitions</i>, London 1984
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-11T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
abstraction Chinese / Japanese text crash Cyrillic text from recognisable sources inscriptions man-made objects playing card society sports and games symbols and personifications train transport: land word