The Gary Principles

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Bryn Zellers witnessed the decline of the steel industry that sustained Youngstown, Ohio, until the late 1970s. In his experience, there was “something jaw-dropping” about the physical scale and ambition of a steel mill—the awe Zellers felt in such spaces was akin to his experiences of European cathedrals. “Steel workers were doing something fantastic,” Zellers says, “but greed ruins things.” For the artist, the cycle of the steel industry illustrates that nothing is infallible. Each print in this series of nine includes business principles outlined by Elbert H. Gary, founder of U.S. Steel. The statements sound noble, but ultimately have little bearing on the practicalities of business or the longevity of the company. The text overlays Zellers’ photographs of Youngstown’s Jeanette Blast Furnace, an abandoned steel plant that has since been demolished.

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