Grain Elevators and Sailing Ships 

John Marin’s drawing captures grain elevators and sailing ships with ink on paper. The elevators stand like modern ziggurats, temples of industry. The sailing ships, despite their reduced presence, evoke a rich history. Sailing ships remind us of both exploration and trade, linking continents and cultures. One might recall the ships in Turner’s paintings, symbols of both romantic adventure and the overwhelming power of nature. But here, the sketch-like quality strips away that romanticism, leaving a sense of bare functionality. The ships become almost ghostly. These contrasting forms, the industrial elevator and the sailing ship, create a tension that invites us to reflect on progress and its impact on our collective psyche. They echo a universal yearning for advancement while grounding us with the knowledge of what is inevitably left behind. Marin's sketch encapsulates this very human drama.