Electronics Assembly, Grumman Aerospace 1978

Editor: So, this is Elaine Mayes' "Electronics Assembly, Grumman Aerospace." Looking at it, I'm struck by the sheer scale of the room and the repetitive nature of the work. It feels almost dystopian. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a fascinating glimpse into a specific moment, isn’t it? I find myself drawn to the individual humanity within the grid. These people, each a universe of thoughts and feelings, are contributing to something larger, something perhaps they don’t even fully grasp. Editor: Do you think Mayes was trying to make a statement about the nature of labor? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe she was simply capturing the world as she saw it. It’s easy to project our own anxieties about technology and automation onto this image, but maybe it’s more about the quiet dignity of everyday work. What do you think? Editor: I'm still processing it, but I appreciate that take – finding the humanity in the machine. Curator: Exactly, and that's the joy of art, isn't it? Always something new to discover.