Under the El c. 1935 - 1943

Harry Rein made this print, Under the El, using lithography. The way he’s built up the image with these small, almost frantic marks – it makes you think about how the process of artmaking is a kind of conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the material. Look at the surface, how he uses blacks and grays to create a real sense of depth and atmosphere, like a memory fading into the fog. Notice the figures in the foreground. Each mark seems to vibrate with life. The lines around their faces, the folds in their clothing – they're so alive with detail, yet the background is an abstraction, like a stage set. This piece reminds me of the Ashcan School, artists like John Sloan, who weren't afraid to show the grit and the glamour of the city all at once. Art is all about embracing the mess, finding the beauty in the unexpected, and letting the process lead you somewhere new.