City Snow c. 1933

Editor: Here we have Margaret Lowengrund's "City Snow," created around 1933. It's an etching, and it has a somber mood, quite monochromatic, but full of activity. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: For me, it’s about labor. Consider the materials: an etching plate, acid, ink, paper – all harnessed to depict the back-breaking labor of clearing snow. Look closely, can't you almost feel the weight of the snow, the ache in the workers' backs? It elevates their often-invisible work. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. So you see it as making visible the process of labor, both within the image and in its creation? Curator: Precisely! And notice the timing – 1933. This work speaks volumes about the Depression era, the kind of work available, and who was doing it. These aren't leisurely snow-shovellers; these are laborers whose physical toil sustains the city. Even the etching process mirrors this—it's a form of labor itself, isn’t it? Editor: That’s a good point! I’d been so focused on the style, seeing the Social Realism… Curator: Style matters, but here, consider how the medium and subject reinforce each other. The gritty, almost rough quality of the etching mirrors the harsh realities these workers faced. Do you think Lowengrund consciously chose this process? Editor: I suspect so, yes. The material contributes to the message. So the artist uses process, materials and representation of work to speak about class… I never considered it like this before. Thank you! Curator: You're welcome. Thinking about art through the lens of material and production adds layers of meaning, and also challenges preconceived ideas about class.