German Government Building, World's Columbian Exposition 1894

Editor: This photograph by William Henry Jackson shows the German Government Building at the World's Columbian Exposition. It’s impressive, almost imposing. What strikes you about this image? Curator: The photograph itself is a commodity, documenting the spectacle of the Exposition. Note how Jackson frames not just the building, but also the public consuming it, engaging with this display of German power and craft. What kind of labor do you think went into constructing such a building? Editor: It must have taken a lot of people to construct this, masons, carpenters, sculptors... I never thought about it in terms of labor. Curator: Exactly, and how does the building’s design itself represent German industrial might and cultural identity ready for export? Consider the materials, the craftsmanship, and the message it sends. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the building and photograph as a form of propaganda and a display of industrial advancement. Curator: Indeed. It prompts us to consider the relationship between art, power, and the materials that connect them.