And Now Where? 1936

Editor: So, this is Rockwell Kent's "And Now Where?", created in 1936, a monochrome print done with charcoal. The figures feel monumental, yet there's also a distinct feeling of weariness. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: The figures appear sturdy and resilient on the surface, but let’s look at what informs that perception. Consider the choice of charcoal, a readily available and inexpensive material, which would allow for mass production of this print. What does that suggest about Kent's intentions, given the context of the Great Depression? Editor: Well, it hints that this artwork was perhaps created and meant for consumption among ordinary working people. But why focus on printmaking itself? Curator: Exactly! Printmaking allowed Kent to disseminate his message broadly and affordably, reflecting socialist leanings characteristic of the era. Note the stark realism in rendering the figures’ clothing and the heavy-looking pack. The materials reflect a lived experience of economic hardship and itinerant labour. How does the labor inherent in both the depicted scene and print production intersect, in your view? Editor: I see it now – it mirrors the physical and mental toil endured by the working class, making visible their circumstances, almost monumentalizing the material struggles themselves through material production of the print. The act of making and distributing multiples turns their reality into a shared message. Curator: Precisely. Think, also, about how the very accessibility of prints democratized art consumption. Editor: So it challenged the elite circles typically associated with "high art," by turning something for the wealthy into a consumable object accessible by the working-class. Curator: Exactly. Kent utilized printmaking, as a conscious material and economic strategy, to speak to, and for, a particular social class. Editor: I hadn't considered the materials and methods so deeply intertwined with the social commentary, but seeing the accessibility makes the point about labour and struggle far more clear. Thanks for sharing your expertise!