Dimensions: support: 343 x 521 mm frame: 475 x 645 x 55 mm
Copyright: © Tate | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Here we have Josef Herman's "Three Miners," undated, in the Tate collection. The figures seem heavy, burdened. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful representation of the working class, reflecting Herman’s commitment to social realism. How does the artwork function as a commentary on labor and identity? Editor: I guess it shows how physically demanding the job is. Curator: Exactly. And consider the lack of individual features, reducing them to archetypes. What message does that send about the miners’ place in society? Editor: Perhaps it suggests their exploitation. This painting seems to ask a lot of questions. Curator: It certainly does. It highlights the complex social and economic conditions of these workers. It's a potent reminder of art's capacity for social critique. Editor: It's made me see the painting in a new light.
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In 1944 Herman moved to the Welsh mining village of Ystradgynlais where he recorded the life of the miners and the village community. He noted in 1946 that ‘although at first sight like other workers, the miner is more impressive and singular. Sometimes I thought of old Egyptian carvings walking between sky and earth, or dark rocks fashioned into glorious human shapes, or heavy logs in which a primitive hand has tried to synthesise the pride of human labour and the calm force which promises to guard its dignity.’ Gallery label, September 2016
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