Hog Island. The Wetbasin. Twilight 1918

Editor: So, this is Thornton Oakley’s "Hog Island. The Wetbasin. Twilight," created in 1918. It's a print and drawing done in pencil. I’m struck by how the vast industrial scene is softened by the twilight, giving it a rather melancholic air, don't you think? What story do you see in this piece? Curator: This image provides a crucial lens through which to examine the intersections of industry, labor, and national identity during World War I. Oakley’s work romanticizes the American war effort, specifically highlighting the industriousness associated with wartime production. But whose labor is being valorized, and at what cost? Editor: I see your point. There's a certain heroic quality to it, but also…an erasure. Curator: Exactly! Consider that Oakley was commissioned to produce these images. The narrative is carefully constructed. We must critically assess whose stories are amplified and whose are suppressed. For example, where are the depictions, or even recognition, of the exploited immigrant workforce often relegated to unsafe jobs in this industry at that time? Do you notice anything about the absence of individuals, specifically women and people of color, from this supposedly celebratory illustration? Editor: Wow, I hadn’t thought about it that way. The grand scale makes it seem so inclusive, but actually… Curator: The scale monumentalizes an ideal while obscuring a reality. By focusing on the macro-level – the impressive ships, the bustling activity – the individual experiences, especially the hardships faced by marginalized laborers, are easily overlooked. Editor: I guess I was initially drawn in by the aesthetic, but you've completely reframed it for me. It's not just a picture of a shipyard, but a complex statement about power and representation. Curator: Precisely. Art encourages critical examination. This picture invites us to dissect these interwoven narratives of power, identity, and historical amnesia.