Untitled (large machinery) c. 1940s

This photograph by Robert Burian, captures a piece of large machinery using traditional photographic materials and processes. The image, with its stark contrast, throws into sharp relief the hulking forms of industrial equipment. The photograph, however, does more than document; it invites us to consider the relationship between labor, machines, and image-making. The substantial machine, the tools, and the built environment all speak to industrial production, while the inverted monochrome of the photograph lends a ghostly quality. Consider the labor involved in not only constructing this machinery, but also in capturing its likeness through photography. Both endeavors depend on skilled workers, each contributing to the wider theater of industry and consumption. Ultimately, this image asks us to reflect on the social and economic systems that underpin both the creation of these industrial behemoths and the artistic interpretation of them. It blurs the lines between industry, art, and the human endeavor.