Untitled (Oil Rig) 1949

Lynd Kendall Ward made this compelling print using wood engraving, a process involving carving into the end grain of a block, to create a design that can be inked and printed. The stark contrast between black and white, achieved through meticulous carving, gives the image its striking graphic quality. You can feel the textures of the dense network of beams and supports, the roughness of the worker’s uniform, and the smooth metallic surfaces. Notice how Ward uses this quality to draw your eye up through the structure, emphasizing its height and the precariousness of the worker’s position. Wood engraving is an inherently laborious process. Here, it mirrors the physical labor of the oil industry itself. The artist's careful, deliberate work echoes the demanding and often dangerous work of the oil field worker, creating a powerful statement about industry, labor, and the human cost of progress. Ward prompts us to consider the social context and human effort embedded within this scene.