Criss-Crossed Conveyors--Ford Plant

Charles Sheeler's work in both painting and photography reflected his fascination with the logic of structure, the way in which cultural values are expressed in architectural form. His most memorable photographic project was his 1927 Ford Motor Company series where he spent six weeks at the plant outside Detroit exploring the vast site before making 32 photographs. Here, Sheeler records aerial coal and coke conveyor lines crossing in midair, the plant's water tanks just behind and the towering smokestacks of Power House No. 1 in the distance. The result is an iconic expression of a peculiarly modern idea: the industrial sublime.