Switchyard 1931

Aaron Bohrod created "Switchyard," a monochromatic lithograph, sometime in the 20th century. The composition immediately draws you into a scene of urban decay. Notice how the skewed perspective and stark contrasts create a sense of unease, the visual elements disorienting and off-kilter. Bohrod masterfully uses line and shadow to construct this environment. The crisscrossing railroad crossing arms act as visual barriers, dissecting the scene and unsettling our sense of space. The rough, textured marks give a raw, unfinished quality, mirroring the gritty reality of the depicted switchyard. Semiotically, the signs—the crossing arms and diamond-shaped warning—speak to control and risk. Bohrod’s work engages with post-structuralist ideas by subverting order. Ultimately, "Switchyard" is not just a depiction of a place, but an exploration into the structures that shape our perception. It questions what we consider stable and challenges us to find beauty in the unconventional.