International Workers Order 1941

Rockwell Kent made this print, "International Workers Order", with lithographic crayon on stone. The way Kent coaxes gradients from the stone is really masterful, creating a dreamy, almost cinematic depth. The rendering of the figures is interesting, almost like sculptures emerging from the ground. Look at the clenched fist of the man holding the flag, the way Kent focuses on the tension in his forearm. You get the sense of a hard, physical determination in the way the light falls and describes form. There’s a kind of stoicism in the faces, like those WPA murals, you know? Kent was clearly looking at artists like Kathe Kollwitz, who were also interested in depicting the lives of working people and the struggles of the working class. But while Kollwitz is all about emotion, Kent has this cool, almost detached way of looking at things. It’s all about different ways of seeing and feeling, right?