Steel Works is a dynamic etching from The Skinningrove Suite by Kane Cunningham, part of a limited edition of 66 signed pieces. This artwork pays tribute to the once-mighty steelworks that dominated the landscape and lives of Skinningrove, a powerful symbol of the village's industrial heritage.
 
Cunningham's etching captures the imposing presence of the steelworks, with its towering structures and machinery that once fuelled the economy and provided employment to generations. Using intricate etching techniques, Cunningham reflects the monumental scale of the site, with deep cuts and furrows in the metal plate evoking the physical labour and machinery that shaped both the land and its people.
 
Dark ink is pressed into every groove, revealing the stark contrast between the solid forms of industry and the fragile community that relied on it. Steel Works speaks to the pride, toil, and eventual decline that defined Skinningrove’s relationship with steel production. The smokestacks and blast furnaces loom large, but beneath the industrial façade lies the story of a community grappling with the impact of closure and economic loss.
 
This etching, with its raw textures and bold imagery, is a poignant reflection on both the power and fragility of industrial life. As part of The Skinningrove Suite, Steel Works captures the heart of the village’s industrial past, offering collectors and art enthusiasts a compelling visual narrative of resilience, transformation, and legacy.
 
Through his process, Cunningham conveys the village’s rugged beauty, its resilience, and the enduring connection between the land and its people.
 
In this piece, dark inks fill the grooves of the etched plate, pressing into the damp paper to reveal the contours of the landscape—its cliffs, its industrial remnants, and the ever-present sea. The print captures the spirit of a place that has been transformed by both time and toil, yet remains steadfast in its identity.
 
As part of the Skinningrove Suite, this limited edition etching offers a deeply personal and historical perspective on the village, blending Cunningham’s emotional response to the archival narratives with his own journey of rediscovery. For collectors, Skinningrove is a defining work within the series, symbolising the enduring legacy of this once-thriving industrial community.