Shipbuilding c. 19th century

Curator: Edward Goodall's "Shipbuilding" offers a glimpse into the 19th-century maritime industry. Editor: It's so delicate, almost ghostly. I'm drawn to the workers; they are dwarfed by the skeletal frame of a ship. Curator: The print captures the sheer scale of shipbuilding and its impact on waterfront communities. Consider the socio-economic implications. Editor: Absolutely. The exploitation of labor, the environmental impact… it's all subtly present here. Who benefits? Who is made invisible? Curator: These images often served to legitimize industrial progress, obscuring the harsh realities. Editor: Right, so the artist's intention could also be to emphasize a sense of achievement and national pride in engineering feats. Curator: This prompts us to reflect on whose stories are told and whose are left out of the narrative. Editor: And how we can challenge that narrative today.