Windy City 1928

Emil Armin created this woodcut print titled "Windy City" in 1922. The image pulses with the chaotic energy of urban life, dominated by dense crowds and jarring architectural forms. The dense crowd, a recurring motif throughout art history, speaks to a collective unconscious—the throng of humanity, simultaneously connected and anonymous. Think of Gustave Le Bon's "The Crowd," where he explores the psychological aspects of crowds. The feeling of being swept up in a mass, losing oneself in a sea of faces. This can also be found in ancient depictions of battle scenes or religious processions, a symbol for collective power and shared experience. The dynamic, swirling lines create a sense of unease, echoing the anxieties of a rapidly modernizing world. These wavy lines that form the ground remind us of a sea. The crowd, the sea; these two merge and become indistinguishable. This echoes the cyclical nature of human experience. The image resonates with a primal fear—the terror of being lost in the masses, adrift in a sea of humanity.