Jersey Shore 1949

Editor: This is Morris Atkinson Blackburn’s "Jersey Shore," created in 1949. It's a black and white print. I find the scene desolate, almost like a stage set with these weathered, geometric pilings. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the printmaking process itself. Look at the layering of inks, the pressure exerted by the press, and how that impacts our reading of "Jersey Shore" as both an artwork and a document of industrial means. The sharp contrasts feel purposeful. Editor: Can you elaborate on "industrial means"? I mostly saw a shoreline! Curator: Of course. Think about where art materials come from and how they’re distributed. The paper, the ink, the press: these are all products of labor and industry. And the choice to depict this subject - a seemingly abandoned pier - within that material context, starts a discussion about value. Editor: Value... meaning? Curator: Is Blackburn elevating a mundane structure by immortalizing it in art, or is he commenting on decay and the material realities of coastal life? What's discarded? What lasts? Consider how the artist manipulates line and form through this mechanical reproduction to make you think about these questions. Editor: So, you're suggesting that Blackburn is prompting us to see beyond just a landscape and consider the socioeconomic implications embedded within the art-making itself? Curator: Precisely. It is a very interesting interaction, because at first it looks as if it might only be of something pleasing. The labor, materiality, and the printmaking processes add meaning and value to this piece. It helps recontextualize this shoreline into a historical artifact. Editor: I never would have looked at it that way. It’s interesting how much a shift in perspective can change the entire experience of viewing art.