Untitled (Curving Street With Trucks and Car) 1938 - 1948

Editor: Here we have Lynd Kendall Ward's "Untitled (Curving Street With Trucks and Car)," created sometime between 1938 and 1948. It's a print, likely an etching, showcasing a complex scene of urban development. The composition feels very divided to me, between the modern world of vehicles and the older world alongside the roadworks. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see a potent visual statement about progress and its impact on labor and society. Ward made this during a period of intense industrial growth, and this piece really speaks to the intersection of development, class, and even the environment. Look at the contrast between the smooth, curving road and the deep trench where laborers are working on the pipeline. What does that contrast evoke for you? Editor: I guess it makes the separation very clear; the "progress" is happening on the road above, but it literally overshadows and depends on the workers in the trench. It almost feels like two different worlds occupying the same space. Curator: Exactly. And consider the houses in the background. They're quite small and uniform, almost overwhelmed by the road construction. In this way, Ward may be asking us to think about who benefits from this "progress," and who pays the price. We need to remember that urban development projects often displace marginalized communities and disproportionately affect the working class. Editor: That makes sense. The artwork does seem to carry a weight of social commentary, almost as a caution. It shows that advances also cast a shadow. Curator: Indeed, Ward provides a critical lens for analyzing power dynamics during periods of intense economic and technological shifts. The etching highlights the necessity for recognizing disparities intrinsic to concepts of "progress." Editor: I now look at the image with the notion of displacement. It definitely is an impactful print.