Anthracite 1936

Riva Helfond made this print, 'Anthracite', using lithography, resulting in a monochromatic image with deep blacks and subtle grays. I’m thinking about Riva at the lithography stone, her hand moving over the surface, coaxing out this stark scene, scraping away at it to make it appear. This image depicts a mining scene with figures who seem to be workers, their faces lined with exhaustion, standing in front of a landscape that is both industrial and natural. The textures she’s created feel almost palpable, like you could reach out and touch the rough surfaces of the coal and the weathered faces of the workers. The light seems to be pressing down on the scene, heavy and somber. Helfond’s work often reflects social and political themes, similar to other artists of her time who were engaging with issues of labor and class. But there is something specific in the way she is doing it, with her mark-making. It’s a haunting image, one that speaks to the human cost of industry.