The Fulton Fish Market 1953

Antonio Frasconi created this woodcut titled "The Fulton Fish Market" using black ink on cream-colored paper. Frasconi was known for his politically engaged art, often addressing social and economic issues. This print offers a glimpse into the vibrant, bustling atmosphere of New York City's historic Fulton Fish Market, likely created mid-20th century. The bold, graphic style emphasizes the market's raw energy, with its stacks of containers, looming scales, and busy workers. The Fulton Fish Market was a major hub of commerce and labor, a place where social class and economic forces converged. Frasconi's choice of the woodcut medium, with its inherent roughness and directness, echoes the gritty reality of the market. The print can be seen as a commentary on the working class and the urban environment, reflecting the social conditions of the time. To fully understand this artwork, we might delve into historical archives and photographs of the Fulton Fish Market or study Frasconi's other works and writings to gain a deeper insight into his social and political concerns. The meaning of art resides in its historical and institutional context.