Harlem River 

Shelby Shackelford’s ‘Harlem River,’ a print, presents an urban landscape dominated by industrial structures. The towering factory chimneys evoke ancient obelisks. These shapes, reaching skyward, have historically been symbols of power, of human aspiration, and technological advancement. Consider the Tower of Babel, a symbol of man's ambition to reach the divine, or the ziggurats of Mesopotamia. These all find echoes in the modern factory. Shackelford, whether consciously or not, taps into this deep vein of cultural memory. The factory, with its geometric regularity and imposing scale, inspires awe and anxiety. It mirrors a collective subconscious fascination with progress and control. The stark contrast between the dark, looming buildings and the delicate tracery of light on the water creates a tension. This duality reflects the ambivalent feelings about industrialization. It reminds us of humanity’s enduring quest for dominance over nature, a quest that carries both promise and peril.