The Connectors 1934

James E. Allen created "The Connectors", an etching, during the first half of the 20th century in the United States, a period marked by rapid industrialization. In this print, two shirtless men are shown working high above a cityscape. They are perched on steel beams which seem to represent a building under construction. The labor of these workers is at the heart of this image: we see their strength and endurance, but also the danger and precarity of their situation. The almost complete lack of safety equipment underscores the vulnerability of these laborers. They are largely anonymous and reduced to their muscular bodies, rather than presented as individuals with unique identities. While Allen’s etching celebrates the spirit of the American worker, it also invites us to reflect on the social and economic conditions that have shaped their lives. It encourages a dialogue about the relationship between labor, identity, and progress in the modern era.