U.S.S. Edgar Thomson Steel Works & Monongahela 2013

LaToya Ruby Frazier made this large black and white photograph of the U.S.S. Edgar Thomson Steel Works & Monongahela, and what strikes me is how she frames the scene. It is so precise, detailed, and full of complex shapes that it feels like a drawing, or even a painting made with light. I wonder if Frazier was thinking about Bernd and Hilla Becher, the German photographers known for their typologies of industrial structures? They methodically catalogued water towers, gas tanks, and factory facades. Their work is like a super deadpan conceptual art, whereas Frazier's has so much life. The way she captures the scale and density of the steel works, but also the textures and tones is so moving. It speaks of labor, industry, the landscape, and the lives of the people connected to this place. She’s using her art to engage in a critical exchange. It reminds me that every artist builds on the work of those who came before, pushing the boundaries and expanding the conversation.