Fabriksanlagen c. 1925

Karl Wiener made this graphic print, Fabriksanlagen, probably in the 1930s or 40s, using a simple but striking black-on-beige palette. It’s as if he's wrestling with the idea of industry, pulling forms and lines into something both representational and abstract. The composition feels immediate, especially in the foreground. Look at the field marked with tiny dashes, a rhythm of textures all made through the push and pull of the medium. Then there are the bold silhouettes of the factories themselves, stark and imposing. This use of contrast, this tension between detail and broad strokes, gives the artwork its dynamic energy. There’s something about the way he captures the industrial landscape that reminds me of Fernand Léger. Like Léger, Wiener seems fascinated by the geometry of the modern world, but with a starker, more urgent feel. It's a powerful piece that invites us to reflect on the impact of industry on our world and on ourselves.