Builder 1929

Michael Joseph Gallagher created this print, titled "Builder," using wood engraving techniques. The image depicts a steelworker in the throes of construction. Gallagher lived through a period of rapid industrial growth and economic disparity, marked by the rise of skyscrapers and large-scale infrastructure projects. The steelworker, rendered with striking muscularity, represents both strength and vulnerability. His body, caught in a dynamic pose, is a testament to the physical labor involved in building the modern world. Yet, isolated against the backdrop of steel beams, he also embodies the human cost of progress. Gallagher captures the duality of the worker's experience - the pride in creation, alongside the risks of exploitation. This print echoes the sentiments of the labor movement, seeking dignity and fair treatment for the working class. The artist challenges us to look beyond the monumental structures that define our cities and to consider the individuals whose labor and lives are intertwined with their creation.