Factory District, Norwalk, Connecticut 1936

Will Barnet made this print, Factory District, Norwalk, Connecticut, with ink, on paper. The ink is all about the line. Look how he’s built up the image with these tiny marks, cross-hatching in places to build up the tone, giving the piece so much depth, so much atmosphere. You can feel the air, the grit, the weight of the world. Barnet uses the grainy texture of the paper to his advantage, allowing it to peek through in places, creating a kind of shimmering effect. The two figures in the foreground are rendered with a softer touch, their forms gently emerging from the shadows. They seem lost in thought, almost like ghosts. See that smoke billowing from the factory chimney? It’s a dark, brooding presence. It reminds me of the prints of Kathe Kollwitz, with her social conscience and stark, unflinching eye. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about questions. It’s about feeling, seeing, thinking. And this print by Barnet is a perfect example of that.