Spillway 1935

"Spillway" is a drawing by James Brooks, created in 1935 using graphite on paper. Brooks came of age during the Great Depression, a time of immense economic hardship and social upheaval in the United States. The image depicts a stark, almost haunting scene of a spillway, with its bridge rendered in precise detail against a brooding sky. The absence of human figures evokes a sense of isolation and abandonment, mirroring the widespread feelings of despair and uncertainty that permeated the era. The spillway itself, designed to control the flow of water, could symbolize society's attempts to manage the overwhelming forces of economic crisis. There's an emotional tension here. The artist does not explicitly state the narrative. This quietness draws the viewer into the scene. It allows us to reflect on our relationship to the environment, to the structures we build, and to the times of crisis that shape our collective experience.