Untitled 1930

Curator: Before us is an untitled gelatin silver print, created in 1930 by Lewis Hine. The image captures a worker intensely focused on his task at a machine. Editor: It’s compelling, this grayscale study of industry. The tight focus and sharp lines emphasize the worker's intent. I am also drawn to the soft focus on the mechanical parts in the background which gives the worker a visual weight within the photographic frame. Curator: Hine was a champion of the working class, and he dedicated much of his photography to documenting their conditions and contributions, especially child laborers. The fact he gives us no title tells the viewer that this worker is a universal man and can be applied to anyone. Editor: True. Given Hine's background, one might infer the image acts as social commentary. We need to think of its broader context as he humanized industrial laborers in his photographs, a poignant statement at the time as technological advances devalued their position within factories. How might he have directed the subject to hold that expression and pose for such a message? Curator: That’s a question of intent and influence, but consider the composition itself. The curvature of the machinery mirrors the bend in the worker’s body as if to further bind his purpose to it. We should acknowledge, too, that gelatin silver prints such as this one allow for rich tonality and sharp detail—crucial for capturing both the man and the machine. Editor: Absolutely. Hine captures the dignity inherent in labor, but I find it unsettling that one man can be so important, so central, within the gargantuan industrial revolution, but utterly anonymous. Curator: It is an unsettling image on so many fronts. A reminder of a past reality and its cost, expertly crafted. I believe this piece exemplifies Hine's goal of advocating for labor reform while achieving artistic significance. Editor: A convergence, if you will, of ethics, craft and representation—giving new visual insight into the fabric of that world at the time, even through today's eyes.