Untitled (Miners) c. 1935 - 1943

Beatrice Mandelman’s "Untitled (Miners)" is a lithograph print, so it's been built up in layers, a bit like a painting, but it needs to go through a printing press. I imagine Mandelman watching and sketching as the miners worked in this dark, enclosed space, lit only by the lamps on their heads. The beams of light and the dark grey and black tones divide up the picture plane to convey a sense of the harsh conditions. I wonder if she was thinking about social justice, the dignity of labour, and the risks these men took every day. It's a simple image, but it speaks volumes about the human spirit. The miners are caught in a web of criss-crossing structural beams and supports that create a deep, almost claustrophobic space. Look at the miner on the right, stooped over, his body weight engaged in digging. There is a tension in the mark-making that vibrates with energy, a dance of light and shadow. I get a sense of the sheer physical labor, as well as the courage and resilience of these workers. Mandelman was part of the Taos Moderns, a group of artists who settled in New Mexico and took inspiration from the landscape and the people of the region.