Lumberyard 1944

Herman Volz created this print of a lumberyard, sometime during his lifetime from 1904 to 1990. While we don't know the exact date, the aesthetic suggests the influence of the WPA’s Federal Art Project during the Depression era. Volz here depicts the geometric forms of industrial architecture. The print shows silhouetted figures of workers on the job. Lumber yards like this one reflect the labor of countless individuals, who are often rendered invisible by such stylized depictions. These workers’ lives are inextricably bound to the lumber industry. Their hard work and physical labor are essential to the production and distribution of goods. This print develops an alternative narrative by creating awareness about the lives of labor workers and giving dignity to their work. This work encourages us to consider our relationship to the labor that sustains our built environment and the human cost of industrial progress.