The Miner 1937

Kenneth Miller Adams made this print, The Miner, using a zinc plate to create the image. Look at the thousands of tiny, deliberate marks that together form the miner's muscular back, creating light and shadow. The process of etching and printing emphasizes the physical labor of both the miner and the artist. The texture here is fascinating; the darkness of the mine is achieved through dense cross-hatching, while the miner’s skin is rendered with much lighter, more delicate strokes. Notice the contrast between the smooth, almost luminous quality of his back and the rough, jagged lines that define the cave around him. These marks aren’t just descriptive; they convey a sense of weight, struggle, and resilience. Adams reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz, who explored similar themes of labor and the human condition in her prints, with both artists using the medium of printmaking to express empathy for the working class. Ultimately, this image leaves me with more questions than answers, inviting us to consider the hidden stories behind the surface.