Stoomtrommel 1919 - 1921

This photograph shows a riveted iron steam drum, made by an anonymous maker. The image shows an impressive feat of engineering using industrial materials. The drum would have been fabricated using techniques like forging, casting, and machining. Its construction represents the labor and skill involved in heavy industry, reflecting the social context of manufacturing and production, where materials were transformed through collective human effort. The drum’s form embodies its function: to withstand tremendous pressure. Its materiality – the strength and density of iron – allows it to perform this task, harnessing steam power to drive machinery. The image is more than just documentation; it evokes the scale and intensity of industrial labor. By focusing on materials, making, and the social context, we recognize the ingenuity and the human cost involved in shaping the industrial world. It challenges conventional art boundaries, inviting us to appreciate the beauty and significance of everyday objects.