Waterfront, Black & White c. 1949

John von Wicht created this black and white print, ‘Waterfront’, at some point in the mid-20th century. It shows a scene of harbour docks through the fractured lens of Cubism. By the time this was made, the avant-garde in the United States had long been institutionalized, with museums and galleries dedicated to the display of modern art. There's an interesting tension here between von Wicht's progressive visual language and the conservative subject matter. The working waterfront was a common theme for social realist art during the depression, and the artist's choice may have been a subtle commentary on the plight of the working class in industrialized nations. To understand this piece fully, we might research the New York art scene of the period to better place von Wicht’s work within that specific social and institutional setting. What we learn from that process informs our interpretation of the artwork and its role within society.