Landscape of Lost Arts

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Janet Wells Greene curated this exhibit, which has its origins in work she did with Debra Bernhardt at the Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives over a decade ago.

Labor Arts co-directors Rachel Bernstein, Evelyn Jones Rich and Henry Foner, are grateful to Janet for the chance to work on this project, and to Goss Creative for another outstanding design.

We would like to dedicate this exhibit to George Andrucki (1936-2010), retired Business Agent, Sheet Metal Workers Local 28, teacher and friend of all workers.

Our thanks to the National Historic Publications and Records Commission of the National Archives, New York University, and members of the Building and Construction Council of Greater New York for supporting the Harry Van Arsdale Labor Documentation Project which helped locate and transfer many of the historic images in this exhibit to the Wagner Labor Archives/Tamiment Library, NYU, between the years 1996 and 2002.


We would also like to thank the following people for their help with this exhibit:

  • Jack Torpey, Business Manager, Enterprise Association of Steamfitters, Local 638
  • Robert Ledwith, Business Manager, Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers, Local 46
  • Willam Hohlfeld, Director, Labor Management Comprehensive Trust, Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers, Local 46
  • Erika Gottfried, Curator of Non-Print Materials, The Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives/Tamiment Library
  • Clint Blume, Executive Director, The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York
  • Melanie James, The Library of the General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen
  • Steve Amiaga, Amiaga Photographers
  • Catha Rambusch, The Rambusch Compay
  • Kevin Simonson, Rambusch Lighting
  • Eric Breitbart
  • Charles Flickinger, Flickinger Glass Works
  • Joe Bailey, Flickinger Glass Works
  • James Tarmey, Evergreen Architectural Arts
  • Jean Wiart, Les Métalliers Champenois, L-M-C Corporation, Inc.
  • Monique Wiart, L-M-C Corporation, Inc.
  • Lynne Sherman
  • George Andrucki
  • David Greene


Photographs for this exhibit are from the following sources:

    The Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives/Tamiment Library, New York University:

    • Collections of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamentaland Reinforcing Iron Workers, Local 40 (NP 124), Local 580 (NP 133), and Local 197, Stone Derrickmen and Riggers (NP 132).
    • Board of Delegates of the Building Trades of NY (NP 107–oversized).
    • Painters District Council No. 9, International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades (NP 131).
    • Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 137 (NP 184).
    • Tile Marble & Terrazzo Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers. , Local Union Number 7 (NP 132).
  • Enterprise Association of Steamfitters 638, UA
  • Metallic Lathers and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 46
  • The Archives of The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York
  • Amiaga Photography, Inc.
  • The Rambusch Company
  • Evergreen Architectural Arts
  • Flickinger Glass Works


Suggestions for further reading:

  • Friedman, "Donald. Historical Building Construction: Design, Materials, and Technology (Second Edition)." New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2010.
  • Giedeon, Sigfried. "Space, Time and Architecture: The Growth of a New Tradition." Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1977.
  • Greene, Janet Wells. "From Forge to Fast Food: Child Labor in New York State, Volume 1, From Colonial Times to the Civil War." Albany: New York Labor Legacy Committee, 1995.
  • Palladino, Grace. "Skilled Hands, Strong Spirits: A Century of Building Trades History." Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2005.
  • Rock, Howard, Paul Gilge, and Robert Asher. "American Artisans: Crafting Social Identity, 1750–1850." Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995.
  • Willis, Carol. "Form Follows Finance: Skyscrapers and Skylines in New York and Chicago." New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1995.

December, 2010.