The Printer 1939

Curator: Kupferman's 1939 etching, "The Printer," presents us with a compelling image of labor and industry. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It feels… grounded. The gray tones, the gridded window behind the printer. There's a sense of honest labor but also perhaps a slight feeling of being trapped or limited. The pose makes him appear a Atlas shouldering the world. Curator: Absolutely. Let's consider the socio-political climate. 1939...on the brink of WWII, mass production, but also immense anxiety about the future of work. An interesting intersection. Editor: It also emphasizes the alienation from work, perhaps. The man isn't celebrated for being a masterful craftsman, but simply as the operator of the machine. The lack of individual flourish can be viewed in relationship to capitalism. How does Kupferman's choice of print as medium inform this portrayal, for you? Curator: Prints, as inherently reproducible media, raise questions of authenticity and value. In a way, Kupferman positions the printing process, and by extension the printer, within these discourses, in modern industry's relentless push for mass replication. Editor: Yes, and consider the pose, he is caught in between his machine, we can question whether he powers the machine or is he merely a tool in the machinery? Also, the medium’s reliance on multiples creates that sense of replication and also uniformity. He does appear in front of large window divided in multiple section: this emphasizes uniformity. What a great use of light to direct our gaze into the individual worker and his alienated labour in the heart of a larger uniform construction, and a greater modern angst! Curator: Kupferman has captured a profound statement on modern labour, with both starkness and humanity. There is more to discover about the work, but perhaps let's leave it there for now. Editor: Indeed, a strong depiction. Its resonance persists.