From collection Kosti Ruohomaa Collection
ARMA Plant Workers 28
In this image a machinist works intently with a heavy-duty piece of equipment in a factory setting.
Two other workers are visible beyond him.
In 1945 Ruohomaa took on a Time/Life assignment to capture life inside one of the home front factories: this one an ARMA Plant which produced electrical appliances for the U. S. military. Scenes include higher and lower skilled workers performing hand as well as machine tasks. The images reflect the modern machinery of the retooled plants as well as the new demographic of the wartime labor force: women, African Americans, and older people.
In this image Ruohomaa captures the man in the foreground in an iconic pose, his body trained on the machine, and his arm and fist at the controls. The camera angle and flash lighting showcase the shapes and textures of the equipment, elevating its significance in the picture.
