The Builders 1932

Editor: This is "The Builders," a 1932 engraving by James E. Allen. It depicts three construction workers high up on a building frame, and the print's limited tonal range conveys the grit and labor involved in building the modern cityscape. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: I'm struck by Allen's focus on the materiality of construction – the beams, the rivets, even the rough textures of the workers' clothing, all emphasized through the process of engraving. We often forget that modernism wasn't just about sleek lines and utopian visions, but also the often brutal labor required to create them. Editor: Absolutely! There's a sense of weight to everything – the tools, the timber – hinting at the physical demands of their job. The elevated perspective almost puts the viewer in the position of management, overseeing the construction, no? Curator: That's a keen observation. And it forces us to think about the power dynamics at play. Who benefits from this construction? Where does the profit go, and what is the cost to these workers? Look at their faces – there is a weariness to them. This image captures not just the 'what' of building, but the 'how' and 'for whom.' Editor: It almost subverts the glorification of progress often found in modernist art, replacing it with something more grounded. So the process of engraving, as a physical act, becomes crucial to understanding its meaning? Curator: Precisely. Allen's choice of medium underscores the labor and deliberate process embedded not just in the building's construction, but in the artwork's creation as well. One can consider the act of creation and construction, connecting it to debates between craft and "high art" that was at the time central. Editor: It's given me a whole new way of seeing modernist artwork; not just appreciating the final product, but considering the entire process behind it. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Thinking about materials and production always opens up exciting new paths to explore.