Railroad Yard 1957

Jun'ichiro Sekino made this print, Railroad Yard, employing the technique of etching. Sekino came of age as an artist during a period of significant social and political change in Japan. His personal experiences undoubtedly shaped his artistic vision. In pre-war and post-war Japan, industrialization dramatically reshaped the landscape and daily lives of the working class. Here, we see an elevated view of the Railroad Yard, with tracks leading into the industrial horizon. The smokestacks in the background speak to the labor and industry needed to fuel the modern world. The print suggests a certain tension between progress and the human cost of industrialization. The emotional depth of Sekino's print resides in its depiction of the mundane, where the tracks and trains become symbols of journeys and the individuals who traverse them. His work encapsulates a moment in time, capturing both the physical and emotional landscape of Japan during a period of transformation.