Engineer 

Curator: Paul Weller's print, titled "Engineer," really catches the eye. It's primarily a pencil drawing. What's your first take? Editor: Stark. Foreboding, almost. That engineer's got a world-weary look about him, doesn't he? It reminds me of those WPA murals— a quiet dignity in the face of…well, of everything. Curator: Absolutely, that WPA vibe is strong. You've got that social realism aesthetic playing out with this ordinary subject placed against an almost industrial backdrop. The trains, the water tower…it speaks volumes about labor and place. Editor: Right. I’m curious about the choice of pencil. It feels almost… fragile, considering the subject matter. Shouldn't this monumental labour be captured in strong, resolute lithography or something bolder? It gives an air of uncertainty which seems…appropriate. Curator: I find that duality intriguing, actually. There is a strength in its delicate, precise linework. There's an honesty to it; the humble medium reflects the reality of everyday working life and lends itself beautifully to portraiture. It invites you in for an intimate look. Editor: I suppose, but in rendering it in that mode, I see something elegiac. Almost like he's a lone sentinel guarding this outdated form of transit, already sensing he may be going the way of the steam engine itself. It captures that transition and the fear involved. Curator: Possibly, or maybe Weller is acknowledging the changing landscapes of urban life. There’s this push and pull between the individual and the machine. And the slightly caricatured features? It softens the industrial landscape and humanizes it, perhaps. Editor: Or dehumanizes it. I keep seeing him as a kind of tragic figure—a victim of progress despite enabling it, rather like John Henry against the steam drill, really. Curator: So it's the print's almost sorrowful mood? Editor: Very much. Makes you wonder what Weller wanted us to feel about this "engineer", and not just see. Curator: Right? To ponder both the strength and vulnerability embedded in human endeavor and existence... Editor: Absolutely. The image seems straightforward, yet is actually rather nuanced upon a little digging.