Michigan Avenue Bridge 1931

Charles Turzak’s woodcut print captures Chicago's Michigan Avenue Bridge as a monument of modernity, circa 1930. Skyscrapers loom, their verticality a bold statement of progress. The bridge itself, an icon of connection, spans the waters, linking not just geographical spaces but also past and future. Notice how the sharp, linear forms create a sense of dynamic energy. These lines echo the ancient need to represent power and aspiration. Think of the Tower of Babel, or even the pyramids of Egypt. The impulse to reach for the sky, to transcend earthly limits, is a recurring theme in the human psyche. The bridge, too, carries echoes of Roman aqueducts, symbols of civilization’s ability to master nature. Yet here, the industrial aesthetic reframes this ambition, hinting at both the promise and the potential hubris of unchecked progress. Turzak's print becomes a powerful meditation on mankind's relentless drive to build, connect, and transcend.