Artist’s Statement

“The creation of this exhibit has been an extraordinary adventure for me. It has dramatically altered the way I see, both as an artist, and as an American. It has significantly advanced an already existing change in how I create my images; and, it has profoundly changed the way I see America at work. “Work” is the important word here because I have always considered America a great work in progress. This is absolutely true in Hampton Roads.

My last series of images focused on the now “cold” Bethlehem Steel Works— a remaining vestige of the height of our Industrial Age. When I first saw The Steel, I thought I had discovered the place where America was made, and so it was—from the Empire State Building to the St. Louis Arch to the Golden Gate Bridge, and much of the infrastructure in between. To me it was huge, but soon, sadly, it will vanish.

In Hampton Roads, I discovered incredible vistas—an industrial symbol of working America—as far as my eyes could see. Each bend in the Elizabeth or James Rivers contained so many stunning elements. Structures that I once thought were huge became the details, and even the details were of epic proportion. The huge machines that overwhelmed me, when seen close-up, became small parts of the larger panorama.

Residents of the region who view this exhibit will recognize the landmarks they see everyday from a distance. It will strike a familiar, yet very vague visual recollection—a means of physically locating themselves in the larger terrain. But relatively few know what really happens here. Up close, the pace is staggering and nonstop. 

I found Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to be a hub where America was made. Along this stretch of Virginia’s waterways, I discovered where America starts. The history of the region is well-known. Jamestown was founded as a deep water port. Captain John Smith’s vision has proven to be prophetic.

Hampton Roads is a portal to the United States and a doorway to the rest of the world. The maritime commerce that takes place here is nothing short of the lifeblood of this country’s global economy. It has been an enormous pleasure to create the images seen here and an enriching experience meeting some of the extraordinary people who labor on the waterways of Hampton Roads.”

Janos Enyedi, 2005
excerpted from Working on the Water, catalog.

Loading – Portsmouth Marine Terminal, 2005

Digital Print

H.13.25” L. 38”

Stacker/Reclaimers (Sunflower) – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, charcoal on archival board

H. 18” L. 36” D. 3.75”

Stacking Granite (Dawn) – TCS Material Yards, 2005

Digital Print, Stone on archival board

H. 11.25” L. 17” D. 4.5”

Elizabeth River View from the TCS Material Yard, 2005

Digital Print, acrylic, enamel on archival board

H. 11.25” L. 17” D. 1”

Dock Reflection – Colonna’s Shipyard, 2005

Digital Print, acrylic enamel on archival board

H. 12” L. 16” D. 3”

Anchor – Norfolk Southern Coal Pier 6, 2003

Digital Print, acrylic enamel on archival board

H. 21.5 L. 30” D. 1”

Tank Detail Virginia Natural Gas, 2005

Digital Print

H. 10.5” L. 17” D. 1” (private collection)

Sleeping Giant – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, charcoal on archival board

H. 11” L. 14.25” D. 2.5”

Stacker Alley – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, charcoal on archival board

H. 10.75” L. 16” D. 1”

Dumper – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print on archival board

H. 12” L. 16” D. 1” (private collection)

Stacker Shadow – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, charcoal on archival board

H. 6.75” L. 17” D. 1”

Cranes, 2004

Digital Print

H. 12.25” L. 38” (unframed)

Tight Fit – Colona’s Shipyard, 2005

Digital Print

H. 26.25” L. 38” (unframed)

The Port of Virginia, 2005

Digital Print

H. 38” L. 73” (unframed)

Incoming Coal – Norfolk Southern, Lamberts Point, 2005

Digital Print

H. 23” L. 38” (unframed)

Titan on the Elizabeth – NORSHIPCO, 2005

Digital Print

H. 13.5” L. 24” (unframed)

Working on the Water (fantail of the Miss Lori), 2005

Digital Print

H. 18.75” :/ 60” (unframed)

Stacker Tracks – after a Storm, TCS Materials Yard, 2005

Digital Print

H. 38” L. 50” (unframed)

Sampson Crane Detail – The Port of Virginia, 2005

Digital Print

H. 40” L. 60” (unframed)
(Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Art)

Running Before the Zim Sao Paula II, 2005

Digital Print

H. 25.25 L. 38” (unframed)

Long Belt/Moving Sand (Sunrise) – TCS Materials Yard, 2005

Digital Print, Ballast, Stone on archival board

H. 17.5” 38” D. 3”

Night Traffic on the River off Coal Pier 6, 2005

Digital Print

H. 7.25” L. 38” (unframed)

River View – Lamberts Point, 2005

Digital Print

H. 23,5” L. 35.5: (unframed)

Mooring, James River, 2005

Digital Print

H. 12.5” L. 38” (unframed)

Grand View/Portsmouth Marine Terminal – Maersk Sealand, 2005

Digital Print

H. 12.5” L. 80”

Container Cranes, Portsmouth Marine Terminal – Maersk Sealand, 2005

Digital Print

H. 22.75” L. 38” (unframed)

Loading – Portsmouth Marine Terminal, 2005

Digital Print

H. 13.35” L. 38” (unframed)

Grand View – The Port of Virginia, 2005

Digital Print

H. 13” l. 80” (unframed)

Loader Detail (Sunset) – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print

H. 28” L. 38” (unframed)

Gypsum Baron, 2005

Digital Print

H. 9.5” L. 38” (unframed)

Across the Elizabeth – Chesapeake Energy Center, 2005

Digital print

H. 16” L. 60” (unframed)

Rail Yard (Sunset) – Dominion Terminal, 2005

Digital Print

H. 24” L. 38” (unframed)

Dozer Stacker – Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, charcoal on archival board

H. 23” L. 40”

Potash Dome – Southern States Cooperative, Chesapeake, VA, 2005

Digital Print

H. 24.5” L. 35.5” unframed

Loading the CMA CGM Utrillo – Port of Virginia, 2005

Digital Print

H. 24” L. 38” unframed

Coal Pier 6, Detail (Rainy Day), 2005

Digital Print

H. 17.75” L. 60” (unframed)

River Diptych – Lamberts Point, 2005

Digital Print

H. 25.5” L. 38” (unframed)

Coal Pier 6 – Norfolk Southern, 2005

Digital Print

H. 24” L. 60” (unframed)

Railway Chain Detail – Colonna’s Shipyard, 2005

Digital Print

H. 14.25” L. 30” (unframed)

Facade, Chesapeake Energy Center, 2005

Digital Print

H. 26.25” L. 38”

Straddle Carriers – The Port of Virginia, 2005

Digital Print

H. 28” L. 38” (unframed)

Stop, Bollard and Bumpers, 2005

Digital Print 1/1

H. 41” L. 85” (aluminum backed/plexiglass covered frame)

Coal Pier 6. – Dockside Detail, 2005

Digital Print

H. 26” L. 38” (unframed)

New Tank/Ladder Shadows – Virginia Natural Gas, 2005

Digital Print (mounted on curved archival board)

H. 26.5” L. 37.75” D. 6.5”

River Commerce/Moving Materials –
Dominion Terminal Associates, 2005

Digital Print, mounted on archival board

H. 8.25” L. 17” D. 1.5” (private collection)

The Working on the Water Series is featured in this 32-page exhibit catalog.

working on the water:

Maritime Commerce in the Hampton Roads Region

New Works by Janos Enyedi

View Catalog