Family Making Artificial Flowers 1908

Lewis Hine made this photograph of a family making artificial flowers. It's an image full of detail and texture, from the patterned tablecloth to the delicate, cloud-like blossoms scattered across its surface. I wonder what it felt like to be in that room, the quiet concentration of the family, their hands moving with practiced skill. I imagine them, each lost in their own thoughts, yet bound together by the shared task. The labor is palpable. The photograph gives a feeling of intimacy and perhaps even the drudgery and the hope embedded in their work. It makes you think about the hidden stories behind everyday objects. All of this connects to other art forms, maybe photography, maybe crafts. Each inform the other through a shared humanity. These things have always been intertwined and artists are always talking to each other across time.