Depression 1941

Irving Amen created this print, with the telling title *Depression*, using dark ink on paper. Right away, you’ll notice how Amen's mark making is so present. You can see the labor and process of the hand. There’s a lot going on here, visually. There are all these arms reaching up to what look like giant cogwheels, with heavy chains and some sort of industrial landscape behind. The shading is very deep and exaggerated, creating drama and a sense of claustrophobia, and some of those limbs look kind of like tools themselves. The hands are so expressive, straining to meet the cogwheels. And what about that crack through the center of the cog? Does that represent a break in the machinery of industry, or something broken in the human spirit? This print reminds me a little of the graphic work of someone like Kathe Kollwitz, who also explored themes of struggle and the human condition through stark, expressive lines. Both artists show us that art is an ongoing conversation, reflecting on the past, engaging with the present, and always open to new perspectives.