“If I could tell a story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug around a camera” -Lewis Hine
Lewis Hine was a strong advocate for social reform in urban living. He used his photography as a tool to educate the public on the plight of immigrants in cramped living spaces, and the lack of labor laws. He lived in New York for a significant period in his life, but was born in Wisconsin in 1874. His father’s passing at an early age led to him working and witnessing the abuse of younger laborers. He began saving money for college and eventually began teaching sociology. There he discovered photography and realized the greater effect he can have on society sharing his photos with the mass public. What stood out to me about Lewis Hine is that he realized that art has a purpose, and what better purpose could it be than giving a voice to those who did not have one. He generally used portraits to highlight the plight of families or laborers in poor conditions. His photos greatly contributed to the reforms in child labor laws and new housing codes and demonstrates the power of art in society.
The City of New York Commissioned Lewis Hine to document the construction of the Empire State Building. So in 1931 he was able to take Icarus, high up on Empire State. This photo differs from his other work in that the subject of the portrait is not what he usually captures, nor is the cityscape that appears in the background in such a grand fashion.
Here the background, foreground and center attract the viewer’s attention, showing a great depth of field. The sight of the city landscape from that high in the air is breath-taking. It leads your eyes up to the worker who is scaling the structure on a taut wire. Seeing the skyline underneath him allows us to realize how high up in the air he is. The photo is radically different from New York City’s skyline today and acts almost as a piece of history. The lines of the coast river and skyline help break up the picture, and help better portray the magnitude of the height of the building with how far it extends until the sky. This aspect also adds a great depth to the image, bringing the lone worker to the forefront of the image.
What initially attracted me to this photo was the title. Paralleling the worker to Icarus added a dark humor to it, as it implies that the worker will eventually fall just as Icarus did. But upon further looking at the photo, I see that Hine is comparing the ingenuity and courage that Icarus had to attempt something such as flying to that of the worker attempting to construct the world’s tallest building at the time. The angle at which the image is taken makes it seem he is ascending from the city itself to the sky, pulling himself up powerfully and confidently with his bare hands.
“Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” -Emma Lazarus on the plaque of the Statue of Liberty
This picture beautifully presents one of the greatest aspects of New York City. You chase dreams here, you take risks, and you attempt to build the tallest building in the world. So many people come here with high hopes, and this picture tells you it is possible here, that you can pull yourself up closer to whatever you’re aspiring for.
Sources:
NYPL Digital Library Collections
International Photography Hall of Fame – Lewis Hine
POST SCRIPT
(Photo by Andrew Burton)
I wanted the photo I chose to involve the 5 Pointz building since it was on my mind. I wanted to relive the view I used to have years ago. The 5 Pointz building followed by the Manhattan skyline, it was inspiring. On the 7 train, I was moving from what symbolized impoverished artists, to what defined wealth. Quickly taken between worlds. It made me feel like I could pull myself from whatever situation I was in. However, the 5 Pointz building is no longer there. In its final days, the owners whitewashed its walls to prevent any consideration of the building to become a city landmark. The white paint naturally contrasts its surroundings. The way it presents the Manhattan skyline in the distance draped in darkness seems evil. As if it is the financial capital of the world that caused this to happen.
I chose this photo because it serves as history, a documentation of what destroying art looks like. I chose this photo because I find it important to realize how destructive the pursuit of wealth can be. This photo makes me question my own career pursuits, it makes me wonder if I’m solely focusing on the material wealth of the path I’m taking. I know money is important to some degree, but I can’t let it drive me to do something as devastating as destroying an artistic masterpiece.
Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/21/5-pointz_n_4316483.html
Money – Pink Floyd
