Sawdust Burner 1927

Editor: Thomas Schofield Handforth's 1927 etching, "Sawdust Burner," it’s an industrial scene rendered with incredibly fine lines. I find it somber. It's almost oppressive in its geometry and detail. What draws your eye? Curator: You know, "oppressive" is a great word for it! The sheer scale of that burner, looming over those tiny houses…it's a classic power dynamic, isn’t it? Like the industry is slowly swallowing the people. But also, I can’t help thinking about Handforth’s journey. He lived in China for years before doing these American scenes. Was he seeing this industry with fresh, almost foreign, eyes? Do you feel a detachment between Handforth and the depicted scene? Editor: A detachment... maybe. The meticulous detail could be that foreign eye trying to record everything, or maybe a critique through observation? It makes me wonder about the human cost— the tiny figures hauling materials, almost anonymous in their labor. Curator: Exactly! Look at the light. It's almost like a stage spotlight on this gritty scene, but where's the drama heading? This picture makes me wonder what Handforth's goal was, because, truthfully, I am not sure what I am looking at! Editor: I see what you mean! I hadn't considered how ambiguous it all is. I walked in ready to feel sympathy, but there’s more complexity here than I initially realized. Curator: That’s the beauty of Handforth. It gets you to really *feel* the place and time he portrays and contemplate how to judge it and it makes you ask yourself “How does industry meet people?”. I, for one, am still pondering...